Letters from the Lighthouse: ‘THE QUEEN OF HISTORICAL FICTION’ Guardian: 1

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I would highly recommend this book to a person who likes adventures and mysteries, and unexpected endings. It's extremely fun and extraordinary. History-lovers would also love this book. The reader really gets a feel for the dangerous living conditions in London during World War II. Well what can I say Emma Carroll has brought an enlightened and heart wrenching version of events during WW2 with the poignancy of Good Night Mr Tom and the sad reality of the plight of Jewish refugees trying to flee to the UK. I really liked this book because it was full of mysteries. But the only thing I didn't like about it was that when all the exciting bits ended there wasn't much happening for 3 or 4 paragraphs. My favourite character was Sukie because she really wants to help with this plan to save people, who live in other countries where the war is really bad. The other characters who are in the book are: Olive, Cliff, Ephraim, Pixie (the dog),Mum and Gloria. I thought the book showed the history of the war very well but I think it is more suitable for older children because as we know the war was a difficult time and a lot of people died. This showed me what it was like in the war. My favourite part was when they found a suitcase from one of the people that her sister was trying to save. The book was quite grabbing for me and I would definitely recommend this book to other people who like history like me. Letters from the Lighthouse starts off with relatively few characters, but the number increases steadily as the book progresses, resulting in quite a few by the end. Each character feels necessary, and it’s clear that Emma Carroll has put a lot of thought into what each one can bring to the story. This asymmetric character structure gives the story room to delve into the deep-rooted prejudices often faced by refugees, as seen through the eyes of open-minded children. By shining a spotlight on supplementary characters’ preconceptions and showing their progression towards change and acceptance, my class were able to connect with the injustices faced by refugees, both in the past and the present, on a far deeper level. I enjoyed this book because it is set in the war and it gives you the feel of what it was like to be in it. My favourite character was Olive because she had a lot of courage and she did things for other people that needed help. She was always looking after her little brother Cliff even though it was tough. When I had read this book, it made me want to read lots more like it because it made you feel as if you were one of the characters. This book made me feel like I wanted to research the war and find out the little things that I did not realise about it. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes lighthouses and coded messages.

Emma really described the characters, their personalities and brought them to life. I extremely liked Olive because she reminded me of a friend from Cornwall (caring). I can really imagine living in the war from reading this book as the description can draw a picture in my mind. Set during WWII, we follow Olive and Cliff as they’re evacuated to the coast of Devon after months of heavy air raids across London. A coded note links the disappearance of their sister Sukie to Devon, and Olive is determined to unravel the mystery. My Comments After Suki's disappearance, Olive's mother fears for her children's safety and evacuates them to Devon where they stay in a lighthouse. Even though Olive is in Devon, she is determined to find out what really happened to her sister. Olive is still convinced that she is still alive somewhere. Emma Carroll is the author of Letters from the Lighthouse, a 2018 historical fiction novel set in World War II. She is an award-winning writer for children and young adults, having won the Costa Children’s Book Award for her debut novel Frost hollow Hall in 2014. It’s 1941 and the Second World War rages on longer than anyone anticipated. Reeling from the death of their father and the disappearance of their sister Sukie, Olive and her brother are evacuated to the coast of Devon. After discovering a strangely coded message that she’s certain has something to do with Sukie’s disappearance, Olive embarks on a dangerous adventure as she’s determined to get to the bottom of the mystery. Emma Carroll has a wonderful takent for bringing historic events to life for today’s young readers and with Letters from the Lighthouse continues to create an enthralling, thrilling read, whilst introducing situations and characters that are still relevant in our world today.

About Emma Carroll

This book was very enjoyable to read. Emma Carroll explains all of the characters in great depth and each character is unique in some sort of way. The main theme of this book is how peopole have to leave home to fight for their country but Olive soon realises that her father isn't coming home. After being evacuated, Olive and her brother Cliff are evacuated to Devon and the only place available is a lighthouse. To try and be helpful she becomes a postman and starts sending secret messages to her sister Suki who was lost in an air raid, but she finds a code which she is convinced relates to her but how far will she go for her sister?

The book begins with a young girl, Molly, and her family being evacuated from their London home during World War II. She moves to the isolated Cornish coast with her father, who is an air raid warden, where she finds solace in discovering the secrets of the mysterious old lighthouse at the nearby harbor. I have read Letters from the Lighthouse by Emma Carroll which I have thoroughly enjoyed. The characters and the setting was descriptive with selective vocabulary suitable for the themes. The story was set in February 1941 at the beginning of the second World War in London and Devon, two very different cities. The characters include a mature girl named Olive, her older sister Sukie who has a strange pen pal, her younger brother Cliff and her widowed mother. There is a good variety of characters in the story as their culture, personality and behaviour. Another child asked me if I could message Emma Carroll and ask her to make the book into a film. Themes Told through letters that Molly writes to her mother and siblings, the novel follows Molly’s journey as she helps a young evacuee, Pearl, search for her missing father and navigate the secrets of the lighthouse. Along the way, Molly unravels a host of mysterious stories surrounding her new home on the coast. The book is based on a family whose father a pilot was losted in the fighting. We meet three siblings during an air raid in London and follow Olive and her brother Cliff on the hunt for the truth to their sister going missing.Mi se părea că oamenii erau mult mai greu de descifrat decât codurile. Și totuși, nu conta de unde veneam, care era limba noastră, naționalitatea sau religia, atâta timp cât priveam cu toții spre lumină.” The book had a happy ending, despite the difficult experiences the characters had endured and if I could, I would give this book a five star review. It is really well written. I loved how Emma Carroll told true events in history but made them fictional. The book does not feature heavy setting descriptions. Instead, Emma Carroll increases her use of descriptive language at key points, heightening the impact on the reader. An example of this comes early in the book, when an air raid hits London. Her sudden escalation of setting at that particular moment, paints a vivid, gritty picture of life in London during WWII, making the overall scene resonate in a much deeper, more meaningful way. Initially, I didn't want to read a WW2 book, but having read it, I'm really glad that I did and it has left me in the mood for more Emma Carroll books. It gave me a feel for WW2 and the contrast between countryside and city life. I think it should be for aged 9 and above as it would go over the heads of younger children. It was accurate, clever and intriguing, and it also was fun and had a satisfying ending. I highly recommend it.