Their motto was to be prepared, but nothing could prepare them for war…
The New York Times bestselling author of The Girl Who Came Home sets her unforgettable new novel in China during WWII, inspired by true events surrounding the Japanese Army’s internment of teachers and children from a British-run missionary school.
China, December 1941. Having left an unhappy life in England for a teaching post at a missionary school in northern China, Elspeth Kent is now anxious to return home to help the war effort. But as she prepares to leave China, a terrible twist of fate determines a different path for Elspeth, and those in her charge. With Japan’s declaration of war on the Allies, Elspeth Kent’s future changes forever. When soldiers take control of the missionary school where she teaches, comfortable security is replaced by rationing, uncertainty and fear.
Ten-year-old Nancy Plummer has always felt safe at Chefoo School, protected by her British status. But when Japanese forces take control of the school, the security and comforts Nancy and her friends are used to are replaced by privation, uncertainty and fear. Now the enemy, and separated from their parents, the children look to their teachers – to Miss Kent and her new Girl Guide patrol especially – to provide a sense of unity and safety.
Faced with the relentless challenges of oppression, the school community must rely on their courage, faith and friendships as they pray for liberation – but worse is to come when they are sent to a distant internment camp where even greater uncertainty and danger await…
Told through alternating points of view, both Elspeth and Nancy are compelling characters whose differing experiences give great depth to this tale. Add to that a cast of characters who are all interesting and vividly drawn, and I felt I was leaving loved ones behind as I read the final page.
The Bird in the Bamboo Cage is a deeply moving story about resilience, endurance and friendship. Inspired by true events, this is an unforgettable novel about impossible choices and unimaginable hardship, and the life-changing bonds formed between a young girl and her teacher in a remote corner of a terrible war.
This is a dark time in history, and Hazel’s research and understanding of this period shows – her writing is rich and immersive. World War II novels are incredibly popular, with many well written ones published this year, but as much as I love those, it’s so refreshing to read a Second World War historical that’s not set in Europe.
Hazel Gaynor has a lot of loyal fans, and they won’t be disappointed by this book. I believe it’s her best yet, and one that is bound to win her a slew of new and loyal readers. Emotional, deeply moving, and a reminder of how the human spirit triumphs, The Bird in the Bamboo Cage is simply stunning.
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