The
Prisoner’s Wife: A Novel. Maggie Brookes. Penguin Publishing Group. May 2020.
pb, 400 pp.; ISBN:
9780593197752
A
Czech farm girl, Isabel, meets a British Prisoner of War, Billy and it’s love
sparked from the first look and touch.
Billy is a prisoner and they have to keep their love secret or the
German guards would exact a horrible retribution on both of the lovers. Isabel’s father and brother were taken away
by the Germans and she is the only one to help her mother on the farm. Billy begins to help her in so many ways but
they know their relationship must change and it can’t be in their present
conditions. However, they eventually escape and trek their way from the
countryside until they are finally caught by the Nazis. Isabel cuts her hair and dresses like a
boy. She acts as a mute would and they
tell the soldiers that she was suffering from the results of a horrific battle
at Tobruk.
This
novel is more than just a litany of horrendous prisoner of war conditions which
are almost beyond belief. Starvation,
sickness, lice, and cruelty by captors are more than enough to break and even
destroy the prisoners. What truly stands
out in this account, however, are the tremendous traits of compassion, loyalty
and kindness by which men are bound and which they exert to protect Isabel’s
female status. Indeed, one of the men
will die to protect Isabel’s life. Billy
sings and shares his musical harmonica talent to lift up the spirits of the
suffering men.
As
the end of the war approaches, conditions begin to change as the Nazi soldiers
fear retaliation if they are exposed to the Allies. Billy and Isabel, however, are united in
honoring and respecting men who treasured and shared books, meager portions of
food and medical care, minimum as it was.
They all dream of returning to home and a decent meal. One mourns as his fiancé married his brother
but he still finds courage to go on for this loving prisoner couple.
War
often shows the world the worst in human beings but in Maggie Brookes’ novel it
also shows the best human and superhuman qualities operating in the worst of
wartime stress and difficulties.
Remarkable historical fiction that is a phenomenal read and highly
recommended. You won’t forget this novel
for a very long time!
