The Chestnut Tree: A Novel of the Women of World War II [Hardcover]

Charlotte Bingham (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 12, 2003

By bestselling British writer Charlotte Bingham, The Chestnut Tree is a sweeping, romantic novel about the women who stayed behind in World War II.

It is the summer of 1939, and the residents of the idyllic Sussex fishing port of Bexham are preparing for war. Beautiful but shy Judy Melton, daughter of a naval hero; her determinedly feckless friend, the social butterfly Meggie Gore-Steward; seemingly demure Mathilda Eastcott, and Rusty Sykes, the tomboy daughter of the owner of the local boatyard, are all in their very individual ways determined to play an active part in the defense of their country. But knitting socks and bomb-dodging are not what they have in mind.

Under the tree on the green the women of Bexham meet to look back on a landscape that has changed irrevocably, and which they have in their own ways helped to alter. None of them are the same, and yet, with the men returning from war, they are expected to slip back into their simple roles of mother, daughter, grandmother. This, more than anything perhaps, is their greatest sacrifice.

Only the chestnut tree planted by Corrie at the edge of the village flourishes in the accepted manner, finally becoming the uniting symbol of all that has passed forever.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

British writer Bingham follows the lives of four women from the fishing village of Bexham during World War II: Judy, who is married to a solider lost in battle and who works for the war effort in any way she can; Meggie, who serves as a spy in occupied France; Mattie, who works as a driver and falls in love with an American general; and Rusty, who endures heartbreak and hard work while she tries to keep her family intact. The many ways these women react to, participate in, and are affected by the war create a story that is at once harrowing and luminous. Bingham expertly downplays horrific events so that the swiftness and capriciousness of death is stunning and unsettling, while her detailed depiction of home-front life is mesmerizing. The reaction of the men of Bexham to the abrupt emancipation of women during war and the women's perspective on this change shape much of the story as Bingham's quartet of women show breathtaking courage, suffer sorrow, find joy, and together create a haunting, distinctly female portrait of war. Neal Wyatt
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

From the Back Cover

British praise for Charlotte Bingham’s books

In Sunshine or In Shadow: “Superbly written.” –Daily Mail

Nanny: “Charlotte Bingham’s spellbinding saga is required reading.” –Cosmopolitan

To Hear a Nightingale: “A delightful novel ... pulsating with vitality and deeply felt emotions. I found myself with tears in my eyes on one page and laughing out loud on another.” –Sunday Express

Stardust: “Charlotte Bingham has produced a long, absorbing read, perfect for holidays, which I found hard to lay aside as the plot twisted and turned with intriguing results.” –Sunday Express

Debutantes: “Line up, fans of Edith Wharton’s The Buccaneers, for your copy of Debutantes...[a] dramatic novel of 19th-century ballroom battles for power by marriage.” –Cosmopolitan

Change of Heart: “Her imagination is thoroughly original ... a fairy tale, which is all the more delightful as it is not something one expects from a modern novel.” –Daily Mail

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 336 pages
• Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books (March 12, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312307594
• ISBN-13: 978-0312307592
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.8 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,314,315 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars American readers may find this difficult to read., March 1, 2003

By 

Huntress Reviews (United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Chestnut Tree: A Novel of the Women of World War II (Hardcover)

WWII is raging through Europe, impacting the lives of young and old in major and minor ways. Four women in a small English village are chosen by the author to give modern readers a sketch of that time.

As the men march off to war, plans are made and broken. Women are forced into unexpected roles that they are reluctant to give up to become quiet, demure little things again when the war ends. Husbands and lovers go away, some never to return. Hearts are broken, rations are tight, and sometimes, the enemy has un unexpectedly human face. Yet through it all, the chestnut tree planted by the local tomboy endures and thrives. Sometimes it is the one thing that means life and hope amidst the chaos.

*** American readers, particularly the younger set, will undoubtedly find this a difficult, sometimes bland read. It focuses on the ordinary things of life greatly. Even the extraordinary times will be hard to hold the interest of a younger American woman. However, the author does do an extremely good job of painting a highly realistic portrait of people and times. ***

Reviewed by Amanda Killgore

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars intriguing character study cozy, March 1, 2003

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Chestnut Tree: A Novel of the Women of World War II (Hardcover)

In 1939, much of Europe prepares for the "little war" while politicians on both sides claim it will be over before the year is out. All over England, civilian residents rehearse how to behave in the case of invasion or air assaults. In the fishing village of Bexham facing France, the locals understand that a Nazi invasion could come through here or some of the nearby other Sussex ports and most males join the military. Even vets from the "Great War" sign on to serve in the Senior Corps.

Their wives, mothers, and daughters adapt to a world where France quickly falls as the Bexham villagers, mostly female relatives of the soldiers, are determined to help defeat Hitler. The younger generation whose lovers will die on the continent or become MIA defend their country joined by their mothers in ways no one could have fathomed in 1939. In this little village, nothing but the sacred Chestnut Tree will ever be the same even when their men come home victorious and expect the pre war status quo to return.

THE CHESTNUT TREE is an intriguing character study cozy exploring the metamorphosis of English women during World War II. These courageous females become the mothers and older sisters of the 1960s women's movement. Readers will cherish these feisty characters who do what they must to help their country win except revert back to their subservient prewar role once victory occurs.

Harriet Klausner

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Love this Book!, February 22, 2003

By 

M. E. Newell (Georgia, United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Chestnut Tree: A Novel of the Women of World War II (Hardcover)

"The Chestnut Tree" by Charlotte Bingham is a great book! Ms. Bingham tells a great tale for the coming of World War 2 forever changes the lives of four young women in English town. What many people may not realize that the War forever change England and the world. Suddenly women found themselves leaving the home and helping to defend their countries. Truly a great book.