I have been a huge fan of Annie Groves since I was a teenager. When I saw a new book called The District Nurses Of Victory Walk, I knew I had to pick it up. This post is my review of that book but first, here is some information about the author.
Who Is Annie Groves?
Annie Groves is a pseudonym and was the creation of Penny Halsall. What made her stories come alive was the fact that she drew on her own family’s history. She was inspired by her grandmother’s stories, told to Penny when she was just a child. This gave a real feeling to her books and made me connect with them so much more.
To read on the first page that Penny had sadly passed away upset me more than I realised it would. I was surprised to learn that Jenny Shaw had been asked to carry on the legacy, creating books as Annie Groves. There have been a few authors of the years that have done similar. Whilst some have been successful in continuing the writing style, others have not. This made me unsure if I would enjoy this book, but I was determined to give it a good try.
The Blurb
Alice Lake has arrived in London to start her training as a district nurse. She’s glad of the new start, far away from the heartbreak that she’s left back home in Liverpool. For her fellow nurse, Edith, it’s a chance for more freedom. After all, doesn’t every young girl just want a bit of fun?
When the new recruits arrive for work as Queen’s Nurses in East London, they’ve barely got their smart new uniforms on before they’re thrown in at the deep end. They’re working harder than they ever thought possible and trying not to fall foul of the senior staff who don’t like junior nurses breaking the rules.
Hitler’s war in Europe is edging ever closer. With everyone on high alert, the nurses know it’s up to them to keep calm and carry on as they tend to London’s sick and injured… But have they got what it takes?
My Thoughts
What I loved about reading The District Nurses Of Victory Walk is that the facts build up slowly. You get an inkling of what is going on, but it isn’t confirmed until later in the story. I like this style of writing because it allows your imagination to go wild. You can think about all the things they could possibly be referring to. Another thing that I really enjoyed is how the each of characters tell their side to the story. I much prefer this than the story being told from the perspective of one character. The outbreak of the second world war affected everyone in different ways. This is shown throughout the story through the various points of view.
If you are looking for a heart warming yet gripping book, then this is the one for you. There is an underlying theme of family love and a tight knit community. It is sure to have you laughing and crying alongside the characters. The end of the book leaves it wide open for the next part in the series, so much so, that you will want to read the next book straight away.
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Great post! I love when authors pull on their own family history or experiences- it makes everything feel so much more realistic and relevant even if it’s historical 🙂 thank you for sharing x
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This sounds like a great read! I really like tight knit family in books and multiple point of views! I am glad you enjoyed it even if it was a different writer continuing the serie! Thanks for sharing x
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This sounds right up my street! I loved Jenny Lee’s book on Call The Midwife, I read it before I watched the TV show and it sounds very similar!
Rosie
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Oooh this sounds right up my street! If you like this you will love The Nightingale Girls too!
Love, Amie ❤
The Curvaceous Vegan
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I think I need to give this a go. I love a gripping story that makes you want to read on and I am a big history fan so this ticks some boxes.
Although if I buy anymore books I might need a new house…..
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This sounds like a such a great book. I love stories that let your imagination run until the very end. Your review is fantastic and I really want to give this one a read.
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This sounds like a lovely and gentle read, I’d like to read this book soon! x
Lucy | http://www.lucymary.co.uk
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Sounds like a lovely read, I am interested 😆 thanks for sharing
https://uncuaderno4cero.wordpress.com/
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I love that this book was a warming and touching read despite not being written by Penny! When someone else can take up the pen with as much devotion and feeling as its former mistress, I am always heartened a legacy will continue.
I enjoy books that build up on themselves slowly too, so I look forward to checking this out!
Thanks for sharing. 🙂
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I’m really interested in exploring more historical fiction – WWI was my speciality, but the myths from WWII are just so captivating, I’m always entranced by the spectacular tales of bravery. I’ll have to give this a go!
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Great review! It reminds me of call the midwife so I reckon I’d love this book xx
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I love the idea of the stories being inspired by ones told to a child by a grandmother. How amazing is that?! This book in particular sounds like an engaging read 🙂
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Ooh will add to my list, sounds like a great read! Thanks for sharing!x
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This book sounds like such a good read! I hadn’t heard of Annie Groves before but I will have to check out their other work too
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This sounds exactly like the sort of book I would enjoy! I haven’t read Annie Groves books before, but now I’m adding her to my TBR list – thank you for sharing 😀
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I haven’t heard of this series before, but as a nurse and fan of Call the Midwife I can see this being something I would love! Great review and thanks for the book recommendation!
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I’m glad to hear that you weren’t disappointed with the book after becoming so familiar with the original author. I feel like handing down the legacy will only fall on one end of the spectrum or the other – it will either be a complete success or a total fail. No grey area lol! At least, that’s what I’ve experienced with others.
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This sounds brilliant. I love historical fiction and this definitely sounds lighter than my usual tudor or holocaust reads. Also the cover reminds me of call the midwife so that’s a win. Great review, loved the details about the author too. Xx
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Seem interesting book. Great review! I like books build up slowly as well with good. I’m gong to check the book out as well. Thank you for sharing!
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I’ll admit that I’m not the biggest fan of historical fiction usually, but this actually sounds really enjoyable! I might have to check it out for myself in the next couple of months. I’m trying to get myself back into this genre since I used to love it!
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I haven’t read any books from Annie Groves yet. But this book sounds interesting. And this is definitely my kinda genre. Thank you for sharing your review with me.
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This sounds like such a great book! Thanks so much for sharing your review of it!
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Great book! Thank you on a detailed review!
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Fantastic review! This sounds like a really delightful read and it’s definitely the time at the moment for some heartwarming books! I really like the sound of the slow build up as well – thanks for the recommendation!
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Thank you 🙂
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