Book Review: 22 Britannia Road by Amanda Hodgkinson

Title: 22 Britannia Road
Author: Amanda Hodgkinson
Publisher: Pamela Dorman Books
Publication Date: April 28, 2011
Hardcover: 336 pages
ISBN: 978-0670022632
Genre: Fiction

From the Publisher:

A tour de force that echoes modern classics like Suite Francaise and The Postmistress.

“Housekeeper or housewife?” the soldier asks Silvana as she and eight- year-old Aurek board the ship that will take them from Poland to England at the end of World War II. There her husband, Janusz, is already waiting for them at the little house at 22 Britannia Road. But the war has changed them all so utterly that they’ll barely recognize one another when they are reunited. “Survivor,” she answers.

Silvana and Aurek spent the war hiding in the forests of Poland. Wild, almost feral Aurek doesn’t know how to tie his own shoes or sleep in a bed. Janusz is an Englishman now-determined to forget Poland, forget his own ghosts from the way, and begin a new life as a proper English family. But for Silvana, who cannot escape the painful memory of a shattering wartime act, forgetting is not a possibility.

One of the most searing debuts to come along in years, 22 Britannia Road. is the wrenching chronicle of how these damaged people try to become, once again, a true family. An unforgettable novel that cries out for discussion, it is a powerful story of primal maternal love, overcoming hardship, and, ultimately, acceptance-one that will pierce your heart.

A mesmerizing debut with an idyllic setting and intriguing dual story line, The Violets of March announces Sarah Jio as a writer to watch.

My Review:

Deeply moving and emotional, Amanda Hodgkinson’s debut novel, 22 Britannia Road, takes the reader into the lives of the Nowak family being reunited in postwar Britain after a six-year separation. Through the eyes of the Janusz, Silvana and seven-year-old Aurek, a Polish family that was separated during the war, readers learn through flashback about the family members’ lives and how they then try to live the life of a “normal” British family in the aftermath of WWII. 22 Britannia Road lets the reader view the sacrifices and hardships endured by both Silvana and Aurek as they escaped detention and instead foraged and moved about for survival, always wondering if Janusz was alive. Meanwhile the reader learns through flashbacks of Janusz’s life during the war and how he ended up in Britian. Is it possible to become a “normal” family after each individual has endured, survived and witnessed as much as the Nowak’s have? 22 Britannia Road is richly detailed, so much so that at times the book can be overpoweringly painful and sad and yet I had to continue on, I needed to know what secrets each had buried deep inside themselves. With scenes so vividly described and believable characters coupled with a storyline that touches on many issues, I think 22 Britannia Road would make a great discussion group pick and I recommend it to all readers who enjoy historical fiction.

About the Author:

Amanda Hodgkinson was born in Burnham on Sea in Somerset and grew up in Essex and Suffolk. She currently lives in south west France with her husband and two daughters.

I received a complimentary copy of 22 Britannia Road by Amanda Hodgkinson from Penguin Groups to offer my honest review of the book. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of aforementioned book.

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