It's 1942 and WWII is raging. Nisha and her amma (her mum) have managed to escape the Japanese invasion of Singapore and have landed in Northumberland, far from their home in Malaya. They have arrived on the small island off Northumberland, Barrow Island, the childhood home of Nisha's father (although he has not returned with them). They are to move into the family home to live with Nisha's grandmother. However, as soon as they arrive, Nisha's amma is struck down with malaria and becomes dangerously ill, leaving Nisha to get used to life on the island alone. Everything is different for Nisha and her formidable grandmother imposes several rules on her, which include never going near The Weeping Tree which lies on the edge of the grounds of the house; however, when she meets Twig at the tree, and he tells her he can help to keep her amma and papa safe, she jumps at the chance. She just has to find three treasures and bring them to the The Weeping Tree before the full moon turns from gold to silver. Now all Nisha needs to work out is what the treasure are and how to get them in time.
Dan is one of those authors whose books I will read without having even looked at the blurb. I have loved all of his other books (that's really no secret and anybody at school will tell you that I am always recommending his books to children and staff!) so I was absolutely delighted to receive an early copy of Nisha's War (once I'd recovered it from the post office who had been holding it hostage!).
I try not to judge a book by its cover, but how can you not when it is as beautiful as this? Matthew Land's illustration and Steve Wells design are just stunning, as are the end pages (apparently, some of the photos were taken by Dan himself!).
At this stage, I have to be honest and say that I've sat with the cursor blinking at me for at least 5 minutes whilst I decide where to go next with this review. Do I start discussing the characters and the setting the way I usually do, or do I go straight into how beautiful the writing is? I want to discuss both immediately! So I'll compromise and discuss chapter 1!
The book starts with Mother and Daughter arriving at the station having clearly had a long and harrowing journey to reach this point. As the reader, you want to know more about them but Dan keeps them slightly at a distance by withholding their names, almost reflecting the feeling of detachment, strangeness and separation they must be feeling - it made me instantly want to know more about them. The writing is immediately gorgeous and slightly haunting, and this continues throughout the book.
Nisha has clearly been through a traumatic event in the run-up to their arrival at Barrow House and often finds it difficult to speak. She is so far from home in a place that couldn't be more different from the warm, aromatic life she lived in Malaya. She finds everything cold and grey, including the old house itself which has an eerie quality to it, from the rattling windows to the sudden coldness and the feeling that someone is there. She is quiet and timid at first, but family is clearly everything to her and she is desperate to do anything she can to help her mum get better and to ensure that her father makes it to England. She has an inner strength that seems to creep up on her, whether it's when encountering the formidable and very spiky Mrs Barrow (she is incredibly closed off and clearly dealing with something) or whilst being talked about in the village when she is getting the shopping for Mrs F, the housekeeper - her Anglo-Indian heritage is not something the locals are used to seeing. She is a character I was invested in from the very first page, and I have to admit that I am still thinking about her, even thought I have finished reading the book.
I also very much liked the use of 'Nisha's Truths' or her diary, as a way to tell the back story. Interspersed throughout the book, they help to explain Nisha and Amma's journey and almost act as a story within the story - I found myself hanging on both plots which are obviously linked and woven together.
Living in Newcastle, seeing where Dan sets his books is always something I look forward to and Nisha's War was no exception. A small island off the coast of Northumberland, accessible via the causeway at low tide and cut off at other times... I knew exactly where they were and delighted in being able to picture it as the descriptions were revealed on the page. I now plan to head up there over the Christmas holidays to follow in Nisha's footsteps! I know I won't find The Weeping Tree but I shall imagine it perched precariously on the edge of the island.
The atmosphere Dan creates is evident from the very beginning and his use of description helps to build the suspense and the feeling of the unknown that lurks. The warmth of characters such as Mrs F and Joy are offset by the coldness of the house and the ghostly, almost eerie feeling that can make the hairs on your arms stand on end at times. And the ending ... Oh wow! utterly gripping and unputdownable!
I always find that the sign of a good book is one that invokes emotions in the reader, and oh boy did this do that! I was completely invested in everybody and will openly admit that I cried at times. Nisha's War is a glorious triumph of a book and, hands down, Dan's best book yet. It's a powerful and emotive story with love and family at its heart. I guarantee it will make you think and that you won't be ready to say goodbye to the characters, or the island, when you reach the final page. This is without doubt one of the best books I have read this year and I am now desperate for everybody to read it so I can talk about it to you all! Released on the 3rd February, I urge you to pre-order Nisha's War immediately so you can see for yourself how wonderful it is (I know that my words really haven't done the book the justice it deserves).
Now, how exactly do you cure a book hangover?
