Title: Mists over the Channel Islands
Author: Sarah Sundin
Major Themes: World War II, Spies, Espionage, Doctors
Synopsis: With her island home under German rule, Dr. Ivy Picot must find a way to keep her family’s medical practice going and stay true to her convictions, even though it puts her in danger of discovery by the island’s occupiers.
Sarah Sundin is one of those authors I’ve heard of for years before I ever picked up one of her books, and as soon as I finally took the time to read one of her stories, I wanted to kick myself for not reading her books earlier. To be honest, I still haven’t read her backlog of stories yet, but Mists over the Channel Islands was the fourth or fifth one I’ve enjoyed from her pen, and I don’t intend it to be the last—by any means! This was another excellent, thoroughly enjoyable story.
Publisher’s description:
Behind enemy lines, adversary and ally become impossible to distinguish.
The German invasion of the British Channel Islands shatters Dr. Ivy Picot’s peaceful world, forcing her to shoulder the weight of her father’s medical practice and hold together a family unraveling under the strain of war. As conditions worsen in Jersey with the arrival of thousands of forced laborers, Ivy’s quiet allegiance to the Allies compels her to risk everything by providing medical aid to escaped workers–even as danger closes in.
Dutch engineer and resistance member Gerrit van der Zee volunteers to build fortifications for the Germans so he can secretly send maps and diagrams to the Allies. On his arrival in the Channel Islands, he crosses paths with Ivy, who shows him contempt for the uniform he wears. As tensions mount and their missions grow increasingly dangerous, Ivy and Gerrit must confront the cost of courage, the meaning of sacrifice, and whether love can survive in the shadow of war. Will their covert efforts turn the tide–or will they pay the ultimate price for defiance?
My thoughts:
I loved Ivy from the start. I’m always drawn to stories with a medical aspect to them, so that was just about guaranteed to work for me. What I didn’t expect—and what ended up blessing me more—was the way Ivy’s artsy side shone through the story. She was a very busy village doctor, yet she knew that sketching and painting refilled and refreshed her (as well as being a blessing to those around her), and I loved the way she consistently made time for her art. It wasn’t big or flashy, but her attitude was something I loved, and something I’d love to have be a bigger part of my life.
Then there’s the resistance part of the story—I found that fascinating, and loved how that connected with other books Sundin wrote. It’s always delightful to get a peek into the lives of characters from previous books!
One thing I was a little disappointed about was that I hoped to get a bit more of a feel for how the Channel Islands might be similar to/different from the British mainland, as far as culture or landscape is concerned. This didn’t end up being a very strong atmospheric story in that way (and, honestly, that wasn’t the goal of this book). I did enjoy the bits that came through, and loved the occasional descriptions of landscapes or farms.
If you’re looking for a solid World War II story that will take you on quite a ride, I’d recommend you check this story out. There are quite a few different layers to it, and unexpected depths that I enjoyed exploring with the characters. I was thankful that not quite everything was wrapped up in a perfect bow (at least not with some of the side characters); that touch of reality was good. If you’ve enjoyed books by Roseanna M. White, Lynn Austin, or Jocelyn Green, you’re bound to enjoy this story, as well. Recommended!
I was given a complimentary copy of this book, and this is my honest opinion of it.
WARNING: There is lying in a few places, generally to protect someone else/a secret. In ch. 18, a boat convoy is almost bombed. In ch. 19, there is a brief fight, and a man is killed. There are a few kisses later on in the book (none described in detail). In ch. 40, there is another brief fight, and in ch. 42, people are shot at. A woman is unfaithful to her husband in the latter part of the book (not described, just mentioned several times).
Age levels:
Reading Independently—Ages 15 and Above, Adults
Links to buy this book:
Amazon: Paperback | Kindle | Audible Audiobook (unabridged)
AbeBooks: View Choices on AbeBooks.com
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