On Our Book Shelf: The War That Saved My Life

Set in England during WW II, The War That Saved My Life focuses on two children, Ada and her younger brother Jamie, living with their abusive mother in London at the beginning of the war.  In addition to being neglected and underfed, housed in a filthy one-room London flat, Ada, because of her club-foot, is perpetually rejected by her mother who keeps her hidden indoors, and sometimes imprisoned in a cramped cabinet under the sink as punishment. Ada's deformity is repulsive to her mother who has convinced Ada that she is unlovable and uneducable. Ada and Jamie's reprieve comes when children are being evacuated from the city into the English countryside where they might be safer from the impending "blitz" (bombing) of London by the Germans.

Here in a picturesque, salubrious  farming village, they are placed in the care of Susan Smith, an educated single lady who is grieving the loss of her best friend and house-mate Becky.  Susan insists that she knows nothing about raising children and is ill-equipped for the responsibility, but the government agency in charge of relocation shames her into taking them in.  Ada is the more difficult of the two since she is struggling by so many conflicting emotions: constant pain from her badly scarred foot which bleeds and has never been properly tended to; anger and hurt from her mother's cruelty; shock at all that she has never been exposed to ( she doesn't even know how to use utensils or toilet facilities; how to read or write, how to accept kindness; the purpose of a tablecloth or curtains).  She has never been outside the house or seen any of the most common things.  Fearful of closeness and touch -- all that she is used to are beatings -- she remains very guarded and distrustful despite all of Susan's efforts to reassure her. Nagging in her sub-conscious is the certainty that all this will disappear when they must return to their mother in London. 

Most healing for Ada is "Butter," the frisky colt that once belonged to Becky. Once the care-taker of a nearby property designs a suitable saddle for her disability, Ada has never know such freedom and independence riding him across the green and gorgeous landscape, bursting with flowers and natural beauty.  Very slowly the still resistant Ada begins to heal.  For the first time they celebrate a Christmas, complete with a Christmas feast, decorated fresh tree, gifts and carols.  For the first time they celebrate their birthdays, dates which Susan must make up for them since their mother has never ever acknowledged their existence. 

I cannot exaggerate the meanness of this despicable mother, worse than those depicted in fairy tales like "Hansel and Gretel" or " Cinderella."  And although Susan did not initially "want" them, which Ada brings up at every opportunity she can, both children thrive in her care and nurturing.  Wise and aware of Ada's deep scars, both physical and emotional, Susan exercises extreme patience with this badly damaged child's outbursts and unexplained crying fits. When she reaches out to Ada who withdraws, expecting a slap or blow, Susan does not push her and allows her space. Only when Ada is flailing against Susan, as when they must descend for safety into the underground bunker which reminds Ada of the imprisonment in her mother's cupboard, does Susan wrap her arms around the girl, holding her tight until her energy is expended. At the end Susan is also intent on arranging surgery to correct Ada's deformity, something her own mother had deliberately disregarded. 

This is an excellent story of mistrust that turns into love, of cruelty that is replaced with kindness and caring, of healing from intense abuse to confidence and realization of self-worth.  Moreover, it smoothly weaves the narrative with the history of Great Britain during a tumultuous war, one which parallels the internal war being waged within this girl's psyche.  This book is intended for children age 12-16, but it is certainly worthwhile for adults as well -- an excellent story.