A mother's love. A new love. Will war break their hearts?
The Bravest Soldiers, Book 2 in the Immense Sky Saga, is the next chapter in Sophie and Joe Parker’s story begun in Dare Not Tell. Set in Australia and the South West Pacific Area during World War II, The Bravest Soldiers features Sophie and Joe, their sons, who enlist to fight and fly, visitors from France and the US, a new romance, and a trio of children whom life has treated very unfairly. There’s a dog too, because I’ll always include a dog in my books.
Assessment:
Plot/Idea: The Bravest Soldiers, the second of Schroller's Immense Sky Saga, is a moving story covering an immense amount of time, space, and characters. So much, in fact, that—even with the character list and other front matter—the plot is initially challenging to track, particularly in terms of differentiating the main players.
Prose: The prose is clear, but, occasionally, the book's structure—numerous short paragraphs—impedes the flow.
Originality: World War II sagas are common fare, but Schroller's various plot lines are immersive and will keep readers' attention.
Character/Execution: This is a complex portrait of how people from different walks of life were impacted by the dawning of the second World War, though there are so many characters and plot lines being juggled (including many connected to the previous novel) that it's often difficult to feel connected to any particular character's emotions or growth.
Blurb: A sweeping portrait of life on the Australian home front during the second World War.
Date Submitted: July 26, 2023
