"Crooked Heart" by Lissa Evans

Crooked Heart by Lissa Evans
Call Number: FICTION Evans
When Noel Bostock--aged ten, no family--is evacuated from London to escape the Nazi bombardment, he lands in a suburb northwest of the city with Vera Sedge--a thirty-six-year old widow drowning in debts and dependents. Always desperate for money, she's unscrupulous about how she gets it. Noel's mourning his godmother Mattie, a former suffragette. Wise beyond his years, raised with a disdain for authority and an eclectic attitude toward education, he has little in common with other children and even less with the impulsive Vee, who hurtles from one self-made crisis to the next. The war's provided unprecedented opportunities for making money, but what Vee needs--and what she's never had--is a cool head and the ability to make a plan. On her own, she's a disaster. With Noel, she's a team. Together, they cook up a scheme. Crisscrossing the bombed suburbs of London, Vee starts to make a profit and Noel begins to regain his interest in life. But there are plenty of other people making money out of the war--and some of them are dangerous. Noel may have been moved to safety, but he isn't actually safe at all. . . .

Character Exploration:
- Analyze the characters of Noel Bostock and Vee Sedge. How do their backgrounds and experiences shape their personalities and actions throughout the novel?
- Discuss the dynamics of the relationship between Noel and Vee. How does their unlikely partnership evolve over the course of the story, and what do they learn from each other?
- Explore the supporting characters in the novel, such as Mattie and Winnie, as well as the residents of St. Albans. How do these characters contribute to the overall atmosphere and themes of the book?
Themes and Motifs:
- Discuss the theme of resilience in "Crooked Heart." How do Noel and Vee, as well as other characters, demonstrate resilience in the face of adversity and uncertainty during wartime?
- Analyze the motif of deception and survival. How do characters like Vee and Noel navigate the moral complexities of their actions, including their involvement in various schemes and cons?
- Explore the theme of community and belonging. How does the war and its aftermath affect the sense of community among the characters, and how do they find support and connection in unexpected places?
Historical Context:
- Explore the portrayal of England during World War II in the novel. How does Lissa Evans depict the everyday realities of wartime life, including rationing, air raids, and evacuations?
- Discuss the impact of the war on the characters' lives and relationships. How does the war shape their experiences and decisions, both during and after the conflict?
Narrative Techniques:
- Discuss the use of humor in "Crooked Heart." How does Lissa Evans balance humor with more serious themes and events, and what effect does this have on the reader's experience of the story?
- Analyze the novel's structure, including its use of alternating perspectives and timelines. How does this narrative structure enhance the reader's understanding of the characters and their motivations?
Social and Ethical Questions:
- Explore the ethical implications of Vee and Noel's various schemes and cons. How do they justify their actions, and what moral dilemmas do they face?
- Discuss the novel's exploration of social class and inequality. How do characters from different social backgrounds interact, and how does their socioeconomic status affect their opportunities and experiences?
Reader Response and Interpretation:
- Reflect on your emotional response to the novel. What aspects of the story resonated with you, and why?
- Consider the novel's ending and the characters' fates. Did the resolution of the story meet your expectations, or were you surprised by the outcome?

Lissa Evans is a British author known for her works of fiction, particularly her novels and children's books. Here's a brief biography of her life:

Early Life and Education:
- Lissa Evans was born in 1962 in Malvern, Worcestershire, England.
- She attended the University of Sheffield, where she studied politics and modern history.
Career Beginnings:
- Evans started her career in the television industry, working as a producer and director for various programs, including comedy and children's shows.
- During her time in television, she worked on popular British TV series such as "Father Ted" and "Have I Got News for You."
Transition to Writing:
- Evans made a transition to writing in the late 1990s. She began writing for newspapers and magazines, including The Guardian and The Sunday Times, contributing articles and columns.
- She also wrote for radio and contributed to BBC Radio 4 comedy series.
Literary Career:
- Evans made her literary debut with the publication of her first novel, "Spencer's List," in 2002. The novel received critical acclaim for its wit and humor.
- She continued to write novels for adults, including "Odd One Out" (2008), "Their Finest Hour and a Half" (2009), "Crooked Heart" (2014), and "Old Baggage" (2018). Many of her novels are known for their humorous and insightful exploration of human relationships and quirks.
- In addition to novels, Evans has also written children's books, including "Small Change for Stuart" (2011), which was shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal, and its sequels.
Recognition and Awards:
- Lissa Evans' works have received critical acclaim and have been nominated for various awards. "Their Finest Hour and a Half" was adapted into a film titled "Their Finest" in 2017, directed by Lone Scherfig and starring Gemma Arterton and Bill Nighy.
- Her novels have been praised for their humor, warmth, and engaging storytelling.
Personal Life:
- Not much is publicly known about Lissa Evans' personal life, as she tends to keep her private life separate from her professional career.
- She currently resides in London, England, where she continues to write and work on various projects.
Legacy:
- Lissa Evans is regarded as a talented and versatile writer known for her ability to blend humor with insightful commentary on human nature and relationships. Her novels and children's books have earned her a loyal readership and critical acclaim in the literary world.

Lissa Evans' contributions to literature, both for adults and children, continue to entertain and resonate with readers, cementing her place as a respected author in the contemporary literary landscape.

City of Thieves by David Benioff
Call Number: FICTION Benioff
As wise and funny as it is thrilling and original—the story of two young men on an impossible adventure A writer visits his retired grandparents in Florida to document their experience during the infamous siege of Leningrad. His grandmother won’t talk about it, but his grandfather reluctantly consents. The result is the captivating odyssey of two young men trying to survive against desperate odds. Lev Beniov considers himself “built for deprivation.” He’s small, smart, and insecure, a Jewish virgin too young for the army, who spends his nights working as a volunteer firefighter with friends from his building. When a dead German paratrooper lands in his street, Lev is caught looting the body and dragged to jail, fearing for his life. He shares his cell with the charismatic and grandiose Kolya, a handsome young soldier arrested on desertion charges. Instead of the standard bullet in the back of the head, Lev and Kolya are given a shot at saving their own lives by complying with an outrageous directive: secure a dozen eggs for a powerful colonel to use in his daughter’s wedding cake. In a city cut off from all supplies and suffering unbelievable deprivation, Lev and Kolya embark on a hunt to find the impossible. A search that takes them through the dire lawlessness of Leningrad and the devastated surrounding countryside creates an unlikely bond between this earnest, lust-filled teenager and an endearing lothario with the gifts of a conman. Set within the monumental events of history, City of Thieves is an intimate coming-of-age tale with an utterly contemporary feel for how boys become men.
Everyone Brave Is Forgiven by Chris Cleave
Call Number: FICTION Cleave
London, 1939. The day war is declared, Mary North leaves finishing school unfinished, goes straight to the War Office, and signs up. Tom Shaw decides to ignore the war--until he learns his roommate Alistair Heath has unexpectedly enlisted. Then the conflict can no longer be avoided. Young, bright, and brave, Mary is certain she'd be a marvelous spy. When she is--bewilderingly--made a teacher, she finds herself defying prejudice to protect the children her country would rather forget. Tom, meanwhile, finds that he will do anything for Mary. And when Mary and Alistair meet, it is love, as well as war, that will test them in ways they could not have imagined, entangling three lives in violence and passion, friendship and deception, inexorably shaping their hopes and dreams. Set in London during the years of 1939-1942, when citizens had slim hope of survival, much less victory; and on the strategic island of Malta, which was daily devastated by the Axis barrage, Everyone Brave is Forgiven features little-known history and a perfect wartime love story inspired by the real-life love letters between Chris Cleave's grandparents. This dazzling novel dares us to understand that, against the great theater of world events, it is the intimate losses, the small battles, the daily human triumphs that change us most.
The Spies of Shilling Lane by Jennifer Ryan
Call Number: FICTION Ryan
Mrs. Braithwaite, self-appointed queen of her English village, finds herself dethroned, despised, and dismissed following her husband's selfish divorce petition. Never deterred, the threat of a family secret being revealed sets her hot-foot to London to find the only person she has left-her clever daughter Betty, who took work there at the first rumbles of war. But when she arrives, Betty's landlord, the timid Mr. Norris, informs her that Betty hasn't been home in days--with the chaos of the bombs, there's no telling what might have befallen her. Aghast, Mrs. Braithwaite sets her bullish determination to the task of finding her only daughter. Storming into the London Blitz, Mrs. Braithwaite drags the reluctant Mr. Norris along as an unwitting sidekick as they piece together Betty's unexpectedly chaotic life. As she is thrown into the midst of danger and death, Mrs. Braithwaite is forced to rethink her old-fashioned notions of status, class, and reputation, and to reconsider the question that's been puzzling her since her world overturned- How do you measure the success of your life? Readers will be charmed by the unforgettable Mrs. Braithwaite and her plucky, ruthless optimism, and find in The Spies of Shilling Lane a novel with surprising twists and turns, quiet humor, and a poignant examination of mothers and daughters and the secrets we keep.
Love and Treasure by Ayelet Waldman
Call Number: FICTION Waldman
A spellbinding new novel of contraband masterpieces, tragic love, and the unexpected legacies of forgotten crimes, Ayelet Waldman's Love and Treasure weaves a tale around the fascinating, true history of the Hungarian Gold Train in the Second World War. In 1945 on the outskirts of Salzburg, victorious American soldiers capture a train filled with unspeakable riches: piles of fine gold watches; mountains of fur coats; crates filled with wedding rings, silver picture frames, family heirlooms, and Shabbat candlesticks passed down through generations. Jack Wiseman, a tough, smart New York Jew, is the lieutenant charged with guarding this treasure--a responsibility that grows more complicated when he meets Ilona, a fierce, beautiful Hungarian who has lost everything in the ravages of the Holocaust. Seventy years later, amid the shadowy world of art dealers who profit off the sins of previous generations, Jack gives a necklace to his granddaughter, Natalie Stein, and charges her with searching for an unknown woman--a woman whose portrait and fate come to haunt Natalie, a woman whose secret may help Natalie to understand the guilt her grandfather will take to his grave and to find a way out of the mess she has made of her own life. A story of brilliantly drawn characters--a suave and shady art historian, a delusive and infatuated Freudian, a family of singing circus dwarfs fallen into the clutches of Josef Mengele, and desperate lovers facing choices that will tear them apart-- Love and Treasure is Ayelet Waldman's finest novel to date: a sad, funny, richly detailed work that poses hard questions about the value of precious things in a time when life itself has no value, and about the slenderest of chains that can bind us to the griefs and passions of the past.

Islington Branch Book Club - Past Titles: "Crooked Heart" by Lissa Evans

"Crooked Heart" by Lissa Evans

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