The Night Watch by Sarah Waters

Hi!

For 2014 these posts are going to be slightly different. I no longer have my blog that I used to post my book reviews on, I do write for Judging Covers and a lot of books I read end up on there however not all do as someone may have read and reviewed something before me so now there won’t be any links to larger reviews. Instead I’m going to be doing a mix of mini reviews and longer reviews.

The Night Watch is the extraordinary story of four Londoners: Kay, who wanders the streets in mannish clothes, restless and searching… Helen who harbours a troubling secret… Viv, the glamour girl, recklessly loyal to her soldier lover… and Duncan, an apparent innocent, struggling with demons of his own.
Moving back through the 1940s, through air raids, blacked-out streets, illicit liasons and sexual adventrue, to end with its beginning in 1941.

I actually finished this at the end of last year but I’m only just getting around to reviewing it. You can keep up with my reading challenge for 2014 on Goodreads though (check out the little Goodreads widget on the right hand side!)

Set throughout the 1940’s, The Night Watch works backwards to tell the stories of four different characters whose lives have become entwined during WW2. Each character is easy to get to know and like, even when they make wrong decisions I more often than not found myself sympathising with them. One of the features I enjoyed is how the book starts with the ending and works back to the beginning to each characters story. The book deals with subjects that would have been taboo in the 40’s such as homosexuality, abortion and lesbianism however Water’s tackles the subjects with ease and allows the reader to easily understand how each character feels and deals with their struggles. With the excellent imagery you’re instantly transported back to the 40’s and through the Blitz and the aftermath of the war.

Despite the fact that I saw the BBC adaptation of this novel a couple of years ago the book itself still managed to keep me hooked which I think is a good sign of a well written book! It’s intense and gripping but in a slow moving, quiet kind of way. There’s no big cliff hangers or shock twists it’s just a well written, lovely book that doesn’t need anything out of this world to keep you hooked.

Rating: ★★★★★