Carrie's War [Hardcover]

Nina Bawden (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 26, 1973

Carrie and her brother Nick were evacuees, sent to stay with Councillor Evans and his sister, Lou, in Wales. Aunty Lou was nice, but Mr Evans was strict and overbearing. The children's adventures begin when they meet a host of enchanting characters down by the railway line.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Nina Bawden is one of today's best writers for both adults and children. she has often used her own childhood experiences in her books - Carrie's War is set in the mining valley in Wales where she lived as an evacuee in wartime. She studied philosophy, politics and economics at Somerville College, Oxford and finished her first novel the year after she took her degree. She won the Guardian Award for Children's Fiction for The Peppermint Pig. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From AudioFile

Carrie's reluctance to tell the story of her childhood relocation to the Welsh countryside during World War II intrigues the listener. The superstitious folklore surrounding the rural wartime setting, as well as the events that take place during Carrie's visit and haunt her memory as an adult also capture the listener's attention. Equally impressive is Zelah Clark's portrayal of the charactersÐfrom Carrie's innocent sounding younger brother, to the grouchy voice of the children's reluctant guardian, Mr. Evans. Romantic and historical fiction fans will enjoy this well-performed program. M.P.T. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine --This text refers to the Audio Cassette edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 128 pages
• Publisher: Orion Children's Books (an Imprint of The Orion Publishing Group Ltd ) (April 26, 1973)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0575016310
• ISBN-13: 978-0575016316
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.5 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,259,627 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Wonderful Book!, October 8, 2001

By 

Canasta Jack (Seattle, WA United States) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Carrie's War (Paperback)

I'd read Nina Bawden's "The Peppermint Pig" when I was in elementary school, but our library didn't have any other titles by her. The book listed all of Bawden's other titles, but I didn't get to read "Carrie's War" until I was in high school. It's a wonderful story, and a fascinating look into the world of one of the many children sent to stay in the rural British countryside during World War II.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A lovely read, which transports you to world war 2 Britain., December 30, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Carrie's War (Library Binding)

Having read this book as a young girl of 11, I am looking forward to reading it to my two young children. It has been many years since I read this book, but it left such an impression, Carrie is forced to become a caretaker of her younger brother at an early age in a time of war, transported to Wales to get away from the bombing in London, it tells a tale of how she tries to find some grounding in a world turned upside down, its a wonderful book.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Haunted by Youthful Guilt, April 15, 2009

By 

Gale Finlayson "PLUME45" - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Carrie's War (Puffin Modern Classics) (Paperback)

Nina Bawden's 1973 YA story is related with the ring of an authentic WWII memory. One of several books to be inspired by the evacuation of hundreds of London children during the Blitz, Carrie's War appears at first glance to be the experiences of Carrie Willow and her younger brother, Nick, during the long separation from their mother (and father in the Navy). Their wartime odyssey takes them, along with many other evacuees, to a remote mining town in Wales, where the land is devastated by mining interests rather than bombs.

Albeit safe, their life is far from soft in the home of the rigid and
arrogant Councillor, Mr. Evans--their reluctant host. Bullying and mean he seems to relish his role as an ogre; supercilious, stingy with his resources and self-righteous in religious matters, he expects the siblings
to toe the line and cower respectfully in his presence. No deviation from duty and gratitude will be tolerated. The only softening influence in the household is provided by his younger sister, Aunty Lou, who meekly submits to her tyrannical brother. Carrie and Nick soon grow to love her, as they secretly pity her suffocated existence.

Luckier in his Welsh billeting his fellow travelers, tall and scholarly Albert Sandwich is sent to stay at a home in Druid's Bottom--near a forest of ancient yew trees--which local reputation whispers about magical or mysterious undertones of past centuries, when the Celts practiced "the old religion." He stoutly denies that his hostess, Miss Hepzibah Green, is a witch, though she fascinates the children with
her tale of a screaming skull and its curse.

Disguised as a modest YA story Carrie's War actually proves a psychological novel, with plenty of dialogue to maintain teenage
interest, plus mystery and complex human emotions to stimulate more mature readers. Most of the book consists of detailed flashback on the siblings' sojourn in Wales. We soon realize that Carrie is now a mother of several children herself, who has undertaken a sentimental journey with them to revisit the sights which made such lasting impressions
on her 12-year-old mind some thirty years ago. Alas, Carrie is haunted by what she considers her great, immature crime: "it was all my fault," she confesses in anguish, though there was none to condemn her.
She has voluntarily shouldered a heavy burden of guilt, although her adult mind rejects the role of her impetuous, thoughtless action and a legendary curse. Then too she is torn with doubt re the role of Mr. Evans in the disappearance of his older sister's will. "Miss Heart and Mr. Head," as Hepzibah nicknames her and Albert, were united in their love and compassion for her and her mentally-challenged ward, Mr. Johnny. Carrie comes of age in this excellent and fascinating story.