At ten years old and with a crippled foot, Ada has never left her small London apartment. Her abusive mother, disgusted by her daughter’s “ugly foot”, forcefully keeps Ada locked inside and away from the outside world. Left in isolation and often beaten or harshly punished, Ada feels her life couldn't get any worse. Shortly in the year 1939, World War II erupts in Europe and children are sent away to be taken to the safer countryside. Bombs or no, Ada’s mother refuses to send her away with her six-year-old brother, Jamie. Determined to escape, Ada embarks on a journey of courage with plans to leave London against her mother’s consent.
The War That Saved My Life is an emotionally powerful novel that I would recommend to readers who enjoy historical fiction genres. Along the story, I begin to unknowingly sympathize with Ada’s hardships and cheer for her victories. Personally, at first glance, the novel was a little difficult to interpret. However, I found myself enjoying it as the book progressed.
Review Written by Isole, 8th Grade