The War that Saved My Life is very similar to Goodnight, Mr. Tom by Michelle Magorian that I read last month. Both feature children with an abusive mother and no father present. Both feature children going to a single adult who didn't really want to help in this particular war effort. In both stories, a refugee becomes a bed wetter and needs a rubber sheet, the children in both stories have to return to their abuser, and in both stories the foster parent arrives to save the day.
I enjoyed The War that Saved My Life, but probably would have liked it better had I not read Goodnight Mr. Tom first, which has a more authentic British voice, stronger writing, and a more believable depiction of what an abuse survivor endures.
However, I appreciated Ada's strength and her ability to attempt to create a future for herself that involved more than sitting on a chair and looking out the window. I also admired her determination to protect her little brother no matter the cost to herself.
I didn't understand her mother not wanting to have Ada's clubfoot fixed, and her determination to limit Ada's life.
The ending seemed a bit rushed in this story and I didn't have the emotional response that I had to Goodnight, Mr. Tom.
This book is well worth reading. If you've read both of them, which one did you prefer? I think younger readers will prefer this one and older readers will like Goodnight, Mr. Tom better. Both books are equally highly rated on Goodreads.com.
Read to a child today even if that child is you.
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