October book club - Miss Carter's War

I think one of the great problems with this book is that it is plot driven rather than character driven so it needs to fit in certain historical events and Marguerite becomes less convincing as a result. I also struggled with the time frame- some of the girls seemed to be at school for a very long time!

Sheila, you have obviously done a lot of research about the women who worked behind enemy lines during the war. Have you read 'Cyanide in my shoe' by Josephine Butler? If you have, do you believe it, or had she made it all up? When I was at college she came and spoke to us about her wartime experiences and she was very convincing but there is now some doubt about the truth of it.

Drat! Only just received a copy today (21st Oct). I had given up hope of being lucky enough to be sent one free so, as I was interested in the book, I had already downloaded it to my Kindle!! I`m just starting to read it tonight and will pass on the book to my friend who will, I`m sure, appreciate it. Thanks anyway.

Thank you for my book Miss Carter's War, I am half way through and it is so interesting, I can't believe what a great writer she is,

An interesting mix of history and fiction, which made this book unusual. I've been intending to read Sheila's 'memoir' books and still plan to. I was rather distracted by wondering where, if anywhere, Sheila herself fitted into the story - if she doesn't then it felt as if she did a lot of research (well clearly she did this anyway but sometimes it felt very 'first hand'). Brought back memories of postwar life (I was born during the war) - Risinghill - oh yes I remember that scandal and, being too young and/or repressed to have an opinion of my own, followed my parents' view of 'how disgraceful to have such a permissive school'. Schools like Summerhill and Bedales were regarded as a bit of a joke. Now I feel very differently.
I certainly enjoyed the book but it wouldn't rank among my favourite novels. Good stuff, though, and very glad to have had the opportunity to read it for free - thank you so much.

Having been born during the war some things rang reminder bells. Enjoyable read.

Brilliant read only half through it ,Sheila your a very talented lady !!!

Cracking read - thanks Sheila. I do like a happy ending! I was born in '48 in London and it brought back a few childhood memories along the way through the decades.
I read The Two of Us when staying with friends near Vaison La Romaine (not far from your neck of the woods). It was on their book shelf. The poem from Nicholas Evans' The Smoke Jumper, which was read at your husband's funeral, moved me so much that I had it read at my own husband's funeral 2 years ago. I keep a copy near me always, and read it when I am particularly down : it always lifts my spirits albeit it reducing me to tears!

This is an utterly fantastic read that I never wanted to put down! The sheer sense of rawness and truth within it's pages was fantastic. I loved all of the characters described vividly and with true emotion.

Half way through the book and thoroughly enjoying it. I wonder Sheila which character was the hardest to write for and also what prompted you to write this book. Did you "like" all the characters or were some less lovable than others?

Thank You so much for the book, I really enjoyed it.
Sheila, I wondered whether it was harder to write a novel or an autobiography ? Some people think it's very easy to write about yourself, but I can see that actually it's rather difficult as you are sort of peeling off layers and letting people see the rawness underneath. However, all the resources are within you. Was it easier to tell the story from a character's point of view, in that they belong to you, but are not you ?
I think you did us all proud.Well done.

I have just finished reading this wonderful book!! such a rich complex life miss carter had. Really interesting social history highly researched I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

I found Miss Carter's War struck a chord with my own life. My mother left school at 14 to work in a factory. She could have gone on to secondary school, but her parents thought it was a waste of time as she would marry. She was pleased I passed the 11+ and could have more opportunities than she had. Lack of confidence and help, and a school that educated girls to be secretaries, teachers or wives meant I did better than my mother, but could have done much more. My own daughter had the advantages of parental help, a wider education curriculum and a Miss Carter figure who encouraged her to aim high. She went to Oxford and got a degree and doctorate in biochemistry. As implied in Shelia’s book, it takes more than one generation to get results. I sometimes worry about the next generation, will they appreciate the spring board they have been given?

I also had experience of the divisive consequences of the education system. I was parted from my primary school friends as I was the only one to pass the 11+ from my village school. My three brothers all went to different schools, two undertaking long journeys to the nearest city, to access technical school -- so the unity of the family was broken too, we had nothing in common and rarely saw each other in the week. ‘

Do the characters in the book believe that education is a life time’s task, not just for school years? I certainly think so!

Nearly finished the book but want it to go on for longer! I can relate to a lot of the detail as I was growing up at that time. I love the writing style, it is so relaxed I just want to read on and on. I hope Sheila has another novel in the pipeline.

Belated thanks for my copy, it was on the doormat when I came back of holiday...good social history as well as bringing back memories of school days..the gaberdine coats aghhhhhh....

Thank you for kind words, Numberplease.

I've just finished the book. Shelia is a proper author! I'd like to ask why she didn't didn't start writing many years ago? Did she always know she could write? I wished the heroine of the book had returned to find her lover as soon as Tony told her was alive. It seemed a shame she waited until she was so elderly.

Thank you so much for my free copy of Miss Carter's War. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and was able to relate to so much of the story, having been born in 1946 and having spent 43 years as a teacher!! It brought back so many memories and has made me even more aware of how much progress has been made in some parts of the world.
Cogratulations to Shelia Hancock for such a gripping read.

Started off well, but found I ran out of interest half way through, not enough "meat" on the bones of the characters and rather too much remembered social history for me. Sorry to you all who appear to love it.

littleflo she was on the BBC breakfast programme that morning. Sorry for delay in replying.

I think the gist of her talk can be found on the festival link, via The Times. X

I have just been to the Cheltenham literary festival and was fortunate to hear Sheila Hancock talk about Miss Carter's War. WOW what an example she is. It is hard to believe she is 81. Fantastic woman and fantastic book. X

Thank you for my copy. I loved the period details in the book; school life and politics of the time. I am always interested in how and where writers write and would like to ask Sheila if she can tell us a bit about that.

I've started reading it & am enjoying it so far, I love the characters I've met & can't wait to see what develops

I appear to be the only person who did not enjoy this book. I thought it was well written apart from the big jumps in time and the difficulty of then knowing which year she was in. But I found it very depressing. I am sure that I lived a very sheltered life in Watford and that life could be like this but I don't want to read about it all the time. There were not enough 'good times'. I agree with the person who said that ex pupils would not bother about their old teachers. Also were girls so good in those days - looking after each other and behaving on days out? It seems like as Miss Carter got older she only remembered the bad times, when I look back to these times I remember the good times, perhaps this is why I didn't enjoy the book as much as others here.