Writing style
Atmospheric · Descriptive · Direct
The war that Saved my Life
Historical fiction
- Print length
- 320 pagesDial Books, 2015
Description
Ten-year-old Ada Smith has never been allowed beyond her family’s London apartment. Ashamed of Ada’s clubfoot, her abusive mother hides her from view, confines her in a cabinet as punishment, and leaves her responsible for her younger brother, Jamie. When wartime evacuation offers Jamie a route out of the city, Ada teaches herself to walk and escapes with him. The children are sent to Kent, where reluctant guardian Susan Smith takes them in. Country life gives Ada her first chance to ride, read, write, sew, and contribute to the war effort, while Susan seeks medical help for her foot. Yet freedom remains precarious: Ada must learn to accept care while fearing that her mother can reclaim her.
Reading profile
About this profile
Collected’s assessment, not reader ratings. Complexity runs from 1 (least demanding) to 5 (most demanding).
- Writing
- How much attention the sentences and language require.
- Ideas
- How much interpretation or abstract reasoning the book asks of you.
- Structure
- How much you need to keep track of speakers, timelines and connections.
- Background knowledge
- Prior knowledge needed to follow the book, beyond what it explains.
- Emotional intensity
- Emotional pressure, from gentle (1) to intense (5). Separate from difficulty.
Pace
Brisk
Tone
Hopeful · Intimate · Reflective · Tense
Structure
Linear
Focus
Character · Plot · Relationships
Emotional intensity
5 / 5
Reading complexity
1–5 · higher means more demanding- Writing
- 2 / 5
- Ideas
- 2 / 5
- Structure
- 2 / 5
- Background knowledge
- 1 / 5
Themes
Book details
For the print edition listed above.
- Publisher
- Dial Books
- Language
- English
- ISBN
- 9780803740815
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