Customer Reviews

Forged in the Fire

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Normally, I'm not a person who waits with growing impatience for a sequel to come out and then rushes to buy it the first day. For this sequel, though, I made an exception -- and it was worth it! The characters who were so captivating in No Shame, No Fear are just as strong in this story, and the way the plot is woven into historical events is completely credible. While No Shame, No Fear seemed to me to be Susanna's story (although I know half of the story is told from Will's viewpoint), Forged in the Fire seems to be Will's story. He's in London where the action is, while poor Susanna is the one on the outside (literally) who has to wait (which is never very dramatic!). However, Susanna is not a character who will wait indefinitely, and she joins Will in London -- which makes for drama and romance (trying not to give away too much here!).

I must admit, there was one point in the plot where I thought Will was going to have to struggle some with his decision to become a Quaker and to turn his back on his former life. Turnbull set it up very neatly to bring him to one of those moments of epiphany like Susanna had in No Shame, No Fear (when she was in the stocks). However, she decided not to pursue that angle in favor instead of the interpersonal relationships. I was a little disappointed, but I can understand the choice. (I also think poor Nat gets ripped off, in a way.)

I devoured the book in less than 24 hours -- it was one of those times when my family sort of had to fend for themselves! When I finished, I felt very satisfied that this story (spanning both books) turned out just the way it should.

A good foray into historical fiction, this story brings to light the discrimination of Quakers in 1665 London. A continuation of events that unfolded in "No Shame, No Fear" where Susanna, a Quaker aged 15, falls in love with Will, an Anglican, aged 18. Will converts to Susanna's religion and goes to London to apprentice himself to a trade in order to be able to earn a living to support his future wife and family. He forsakes the status and wealth of his father's business, and becomes estranged from his family. Susanna and Will correspond by letter for 3 years, until Will's life gets entangled in the devastation of the bubonic plague which includes a halt to travel and letter carrying. Susanna gives up her own apprenticeship to travel to London to seek Will. Not long after, the Great Fire of London creates devastating havoc. The story is told in alternating chapters by Will and Susanna, but, disappointingly, there is not a strong distinction between the character's voices, and the reader may need to turn back to the chapter heading to see who is doing the telling! Also, what speech are the characters using? Should they all speak Early Modern English? Did the Quakers adopt a different way of speaking, using `thee, thy and thou' in all speech? Is the language of this book authentic? Will slips up, publicly exhibiting angry physical and verbal retorts (which gets him time in jail), but he doesn't make mistakes using his new language. Susanna is a modern young woman in old-fashioned garb: she pines for a physical relationship with Will, and follows him to London with less chaperoning than one would expect for the time. She traipses around the city looking for Will, and when they meet, she spends the night in his room, where they consummate their marriage before they take their wedding vows. Small and interesting historical facts cannot compensate for overall blah characterization. Want a wonderful love story in historical fiction? Read "Mrs. Mike" by Benedict and Nancy Freedman.

Continuing the story of Will and Susanna begun in No Shame, No Fear, author Ann Turnbull gives us a realistic look at life for Quakers in the 1600s. When we left Will and Susanna in NSNF, they were separated so that Will could find work since his father had disowned him for becoming a Friend. Forged in the Fire finds the two lovers three years on, planning marriage and looking forward to being together. But plans are thwarted as plague shuts down London, making communication almost impossible. Will finds himself in Newgate prison after an encounter with a constable and then becomes seriously ill while languishing in prison. Susanna takes off for London where she is shocked to misunderstand that Will is in love with someone else. Though the course to true love is never easy, these two suffer a good deal and it looks for a while as thought things will never work out.

Ms. Turnbull has written a worthy sequel to No Shame, No Fear. She gives us a glimpse into daily life of being a Quaker, and its persecutions. I most enjoyed the way she wove the Great Fire of London in 1666 into the storyline. While I felt things did indeed wrap up a little too easily, I enjoyed the storytelling and feel that Will and Susanna were realistically drawn. Ms. Turnbull has a gift for weaving a good plot around actual events, and I will be looking for more works from her in the future.

I have just finished reading Forged in the Fire. This story in my oppinion is better than the first, which is really good.This story takes place 3 years after No Shame No Fear, Susanna has just gotten news that Will has found a secure job and is ready to marry her in a few weeks. Their plans are changed, however, when the Plague hits London, causing travel to slow down. Will, while going to support Friends is thrown in prision. While in prision he bececomes very ill. He is taken in by a Friend, who pays his jail fee and takes care of him. Meanwhile, Susanna is tired of waiting and is worried about Will, travels to London. While searching for Will, she comes upon a misunderstanding, which may cause she and Will not to be married. They are faced against catastrophy as the great fire comes upon them. I was very happy with the ending. Like someone has written before this story, unlike the last story, is mostly Will's story. The story is hard to put down once you have started it.

It is 1665, and Will and Susanna have been apart for three long years. Except for an all-too-brief rendezvous at a special church meeting, they have not seen each other at all. Their only connection is the slow exchange of letters --- and the bond in their hearts. They both dream of being reunited and finally married, but first Will must get a steady job.

When he decided to become a Quaker like Susanna, his father disowned him. Along with losing his family, he also lost his future prospects of an education and apprenticeship. So Will moved to London for greater opportunities while Susanna stayed in the village of Hemsbury to finish her indenture at the print shop.

At last, Will has acquired a steady job and writes to Susanna that he will be able to marry her in a few weeks time.

However, trouble is brewing as a plague invades London. Thousands are becoming sick and most of them are dying. Once again, Will and Susanna must postpone their wedding; the danger of entering the city is too great. Even the mail is suspect of transferring the disease, and people are cautioned to steam letters over vinegar to cleanse them.

While offering support to some church friends imprisoned for their beliefs, Will himself gets thrown in jail. The unimaginably horrid conditions of filth and poor nutrition cause Will to fall ill. He almost dies, but a wealthy Quaker friend pays his bond and then nurses him back to health. During all of this, however, Will's employer catches the plague and dies. Will loses not only a friend but his job as well. Too despondent and weak to relate the entire truth, Will writes to Susanna that they must further postpone the wedding without telling her why.

Fearing the worst, Susanna decides to visit Will and travels with some church friends to London. But she walks in on a misunderstanding that shoves a huge crack between them, and Susanna releases Will from his promise to marry her. Is their love strong enough to bring them back together? And are they brawny enough to survive the catastrophic fire that threatens to destroy London?

FORGED IN THE FIRE is the much-anticipated sequel to NO SHAME, NO FEAR, and fans will be thrilled to read more about their Quaker heroes of the 17th century. Ann Turnbull does a fantastic job of bringing back to life the conditions of that time period, both the enviable and the not-so-enviable. Her story catches readers' attentions from the beginning, keeping them hooked and eagerly turning the pages to share Will's and Susanna's experiences. One does not need to have read the first book in order to appreciate this one.

--- Reviewed by Chris Shanley-Dillman

I just finished reading Forged in the Fire by Ann Turnbull, the sequel to No Shame, No Fear (see my blog for review). It begins three years after the first book ended. Will and Susanna have been separated for those years but have kept in touch through letters. Will is working in London, trying to make enough money to marry Susanna. Can there love survive the plague and the Great Fire of London? Will they ever be happy? Read to find out!

This book was just as engrossing and satisfying as the first. I love the characters of Susanna and Will. Both are so passionate and strong. Never have I rooted so much for two fictional characters! The historical details are very fascinating and only add to the quality of the story. If you have read the first book, you will definitely have to read the sequel. It wraps up the story of Will and Susanna nicely.

The streets of 17th-Century London come alive in author Ann Turnbull's FORGED IN THE FIRE. The sequel to Turnbull's 2006 NO SHAME, NO FEAR, this well-written novel stands alone, dually answering readers' current questions while offering just enough ambiguity to pique their interest in the prequel.

Romance is alive and well in the plague-infested streets of 1665 London. But, times are hard and death is rampant, especially for Quakers such as Will and Susanna, who find themselves fighting against a close-minded religious establishment in addition to disease and poverty. Readers are left to breathlessly concede that a happy ending, no matter how deserved, is far from guaranteed.

Turnbull is skilled at entertaining readers while covertly educating them. Her scenes are full and powerful, bringing excitement and history to the forefront, yet never overpowering or heavy-handed. Readers will fall wholeheartedly into the love story of Will and Susanna, while simultaneously aching for the thousands of actual lives truly lost to sickness, disaster and ignorance in the London of yesteryear.

This, readers will understand, was a time of great fear, but not a time beyond equally great faith: "We ate with relish and felt glad to be alive," recalls Will. "The plague was in the city--but danger was always present. We must go about our lives as usual and trust in God" (p. 25).

Reviewed by: Mechele R. Dillard

Truly a great book! I loved No Shame No Fear and Forged in the Fire was the icing on the cake! I couldnt put it down! I stayed up late, I read in the car and I thought about it all day long! I cant to read more by this author.

Yep, I was right: It all wrapped up so neatly in the end.

After putting the teenaged lovebirds through a suitable series of trials, girl gets boy, boy and girl go through major disaster together (the London fire), boy is reconciled to wealthy father, all's well that ends well. It was not believable that, after waiting apart from Will for three whole years, Susannah would be so childish and insecure as to be cowed in a split second by seeing him in a completely innocent situation with a host's daughter. Oh, and for all her literalism about 17th-century life, the author does not, apparently, know that early Quakers were not inclined to wink at premarital sex. Pick one: Have your cake or eat it.

Once again, if you're a twelve-year-old girl, you might like this. Anyone else will be bored silly.

"Love, don't fear if thou hear nothing from me for a while. The authorities may restrict the post -- and even if they do not, I may hesitate to write to thee for fear the carrier should be infected. Take care to steam any letters from London over boiling vinegar; we are assured it is a preventative..."

"Close your eyes and I'll kiss you
Tomorrow I'll miss you
Remember I'll always be true
And then while I'm away
I'll write home every day
And I'll send all my loving to you."
-- The Beatles, "All My Loving"

Though I was but on the cusp of turning nine, and knew nothing of that sort of love when I first watched Paul McCartney sing the song on Ed Sullivan, I nevertheless experienced shivers that Sunday evening.

Forty-plus years later, I'm contemplating how so many love songs might well be categorized as relating to one of four "stages" of a proverbial love story:

1. Boy and Girl meet.
2. Boy and Girl fall for each other.
3. Boy and Girl become separated.
4. Boy and Girl (hopefully) reunite.

I amused myself during a two-hour drive to school by brainstorming old tunes that speak of love and separation. The Beatles' song clearly relates to the third such stage of the formula. Some other examples (for us old timers):

Summer Loving (from Grease)
So Far Away (Carole King)
Have You Seen Her (The Chi-Lites)
Missing You (John Waite)
Leaving on a Jet Plane (written by John Denver)
Darling Be Home Soon (The Lovin' Spoonful)
I'm So Tired (The Beatles)
Come Monday (Jimmy Buffett)

Now, when you have a gifted YA author employing this formula to craft the story of two young separated lovers, a story set in the distant past, in a foreign land, amidst widespread death, horrific destruction, (and beer for breakfast), you have all the makings of a great read that could well elicit the same sort of shivers that I felt that night in 1964:

"Dear heart, I write this in the evening, after work, and try to picture thee also in thy room in London, perhaps with Nat, eating hot pies from Pudding Lane (for I remember what thou told me of thy habits). As long as I hold thy image in my mind, I can believe thee safe and in good health. I know thou dare not write to me. We receive few letters now, and there are fewer travelers on the road to bring us news, but we know the pestilence still rages and has begun to spread into the country..."

And so having gotten to read FORGED IN THE FIRE, the long-awaited sequel to Ann Turnbull's NO SHAME, NO FEAR, I found myself recalling sentimental songs of love and separation as I traversed bridges and cruised down highways.

In NO SHAME, NO FEAR we encounter the first two stages of the love story: In 1662, at a time when there is widespread and vicious persecution of Quakers in Britain, Will Heywood, the son of a prosperous Anglican, and Susanna Thorn, a young Quaker girl, meet and fall in love. At the conclusion of the NO SHAME, NO FEAR, Will -- who is disowned by his father -- is heading off to London to serve an apprenticeship that will hopefully lead to his having the means to marry Susanna.

In FORGED IN THE FIRE which begins in 1665, Will is in London and missing Susanna while facing the dangers resulting from his adoption of the Quaker religion, AND the deadly grasp of the Plague. And, then, anyone with a knowledge of British history will already know that as the calendar turns to 1666 Will will be on course for coming face to face with The Great Fire of London.

While today's adolescent readers will most likely not be facing such catastrophies as Plague and City-turned-Inferno, they may well find themselves contemplating what it might be like to maintain loyalty to a sweetheart who is geographically distant -- such as going to college in different parts of the country -- while all sorts of life-altering events are taking place.

"His wife shrieked as they took his body away, and I curled myself into a ball, with my hands over my ears, unable to bear it. I was alone, without friends in this place, overcome with grief and guilt. I blamed myself for the deaths of my two friends, believing they might never have been in Newgate if I had not spoken out that day at Blackfriars. I waited now for the sickness to claim me, too, and felt sure it must."

While FORGED IN THE FIRE won't be available until April 2007, NO SHAME NO FEAR has just been released in paperback. Don't miss them.