The Outcast Girls by Shirley Dickson
Genre: Historical fiction, WW2
Read: 9th April 2020
Purchase: Amazon
(publication date: 24th January 2020)
★★★★ 4.5 stars
THE OUTCAST GIRLS is the third book by Shirley Dickson I have read and I knew I was in for a treat. I loved "The Orphan Sisters" and "Our Last Goodbye" so when I saw another release by the author I knew I just had to have it. Dickson easily transports the reader back in time with her wonderful stories quickly absorbing us in life during World War 2. An enthralling page turner, we journey from Germany to England in this poignant tale of love, loss and friendship.
England 1939: After the death of their mother, Sandra Hudson and her younger brother Alf are sent to live at Blakely Hall by their father who is unable to cope. Soon after, their father also dies so the two children are left to grow up in the orphanage until the age of 15, when they must then leave to find a job. When the time came, Sandra is given a job as a housemaid in the Kirton household. But she soon discovers that life in the orphanage was a lot safer when the Kirton's eldest son Duncan comes home on leave. The only other servant is the cook, Olive Goodwin, who takes young Sandra under her wing and gives her a place to stay with her and her husband Tommy. Not wanting to be idle and yet not wanting to return to service, Sandra decides to join the Women's Land Army. A decision that is only cemented upon learning that her brother Alf has joined the RAF.
Germany 1938: Eleven year old Frieda Sternberg lives in the Jewish quarter in Berlin with her family. Tensions are rife and before the Nazis deport them to concentration camps, the Sternbergs learn of the "Movement for the Care of Children from Germany"...where Jewish children are relocated and looked after by families in England. They decide at once that Frieda and her younger brother Kurt must be sent to safety. Their papa goes back to their apartment for the shop's weekly takings, a few precious possessions and photograph for the children to take with them for financial secrutiy...but he does not return, having been arrested as he left the Jewish quarter.
So Frieda and Kurt board a train, clutching their suitcases and identity cards, to Holland where they then board a ship that will take them to England. But at the last minute, Kurt jumps from the ship and escapes into the crowd leaving Frieda to travel to England alone where she doesn't speak a word of the language. Upon arrival in England, she travels by train to the north to Newcastle and ends up in a little village outside of Hexham called Leadburn, where she is given a home with Doris Leadbetter, the local postmistress. Over the months and years, Doris shows Frieda a kindness she didn't expect and teaches her the English language. She attends the local school but is bullied terribly by the other children for being German. Frieda grew to love the village and the kind widow who had given her a home, who she called Aunty Doris.
But at the back of her mind, Frieda could not stop thinking about her family back in Germany. Or her younger brother Kurt who jumped ship as they were about to embark on their new lives together. What had become of them? And would she ever see them again?
England 1943: Sandra is thrilled to be accepted into the WLA and is soon sent to the country to begin her work as a Land Girl in the village of Leadburn. The Land Girls reside in a hostel in the village and are tasked with their duties on various farms throughout the area. Sandra, never having ridden a bicycle before, soon learns its value when travelling to and from the farm she works on. But there is something else Sandra has never learnt to do...and that is read. So when letters from Alf and Olive arrive for her at the hostel, she secretes them for later when she can have someone read them to her...thereby keeping her illiteracy a secret from the others.
Upon arrival in Leadburn, one of the first things Sandra does is find the local church. She has made a bargain with God to keep her Alf safe and she will pray for him at church every Sunday. It is there she meets the young curate, Matthew Carlton. Sandra decides that as a man of the cloth she can trust him with her secrets, and so she asks Mr Carlton to teach her to read...as well as having him read her letters to her until she is able to read them herself.
One of her first jobs as a Land Girl was working on the Wilson farm milking cows, mucking out stalls and feeding the pigs. But as a townie, Sandra had never done such work before and the grumpy Mr Wilson - owner of the farm - had no time to teach her. It is there that Sandra meets shy German girl Frieda, who shows Sandra what to do. The two girls soon become friends and find that their childhoods, though different, were both difficult and they felt as if they were kindred spirits. Both girls worried for their younger brothers, miss their families and have low self confidence. While Sandra doesn't think very highly of herself being unable to read and thinks she is stupid, Frieda has been bullied throughout school for being German and has taken it upon herself to not eat for as long as her family is suffering. Both girls deal with their difficulties in secret until they find the strength to confide in each other and together they form a bond that changes them both for the better with their friendship.
Beautifully written, THE OUTCAST GIRLS is a story about two lost and lonely young women who find friendship in the midst of war and a happiness neither thought they would. Raw, heartbreaking and heartwarming, Frieda and Sandra's strength simply shines through the pages as they grow from girls into women, finding love where they least expect it.
Captivating and compelling, THE OUTCAST GIRLS is so heartwarming I was absorbed from the very first page and found myself becoming invested in the beautiful friendship between the two girls. I also love the characters or Olive, Doris and Matthew Carlton which added a depth to the stories involving each of them.
I have just one complaint about this otherwise wonderful story, and that was the ending. I found it just came to such an abrupt end that I was left feeling...what just happened? And it is that which keeps it from a 5 star rating this time.
As with all of Dickson's novels, THE OUTCAST GIRLS is an enjoyable read that shines a light on a different perspective to war in the way that it affects those at home and how the women do their bit for the war effort and keeping things running until their lads are home. It is heartwarming, heartbreaking but beautifully written.
My third read by Shirley Dickson, I especially love how pieces of her previous two - "The Orphan Sisters" and "Our Last Goodbye" - were cleverly incorporated into THE OUTCAST GIRLS. Blakely Hall featured in the first book, along with the friends she made there Dorothy and Esther (Etty) which were briefly mentioned. A nod to her second book with the mention of May Robinson and her parent's boarding house also noted. Having said that, it is important to note that all books can be read as standalones and do not follow on from each other...although they do complement each other. I thoroughly recommend them all!
I have loved Shirley Dickson's books since I discovered "The Orphan Sisters" and I continually look forward to more by this wonderfully talented author. Can't wait to see what she has in store for us next.
I would like to thank #ShirleyDickson, #NetGalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheOutcastGirls in exchange for an honest review.
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