We often hear about the men and women who served during World War II, but we are less familiar with the experiences of Allied civilians. This novel is inspired by true events of the experiences of Allied civilians trapped in China at the outbreak of war.
Set in a rural village in China, the Chefoo School caters to the children of Western diplomats and missionaries. Life at the school is comfortable. But when Japan declares war against the Allied forces, the Japanese occupation moves within their school walls, and the course of their lives is drastically changed.
The story centres around three headstrong children, Nancy, Dorothy and Joan, and their revered teacher, Elizabeth Kent. Over the course of a few years they are relocated twice, and ultimately transferred to an internment camp. The conditions there are deplorable; food is scarce, facilities unsanitary and disease is rife.
The guards enforce a harsh regime by instilling fear with acts of severe violence. Miss Kent soon finds herself the target of a guard referred to as ‘Trouble’, his constant threats and predatory behaviour a reminder of their precariousness situation. Yet with each new challenge the children and teachers learn to adapt and even, at times, rebel in subtle ways. Their ability to maintain hope, the unexpected acts of kindness and their unwavering support for one another, help them through.
I was really moved by this novel, and I felt that Gaynor explored the characters and their hardships with immense sensibility.

Reviewed by Akina Hansen