This book is the story of Hilly growing up with her mad parents and her annoying sister and trying to find love for the first time. Her story is entwined with her grandmother’s past, which is set in the Second World War. Hilly tries to solve the mystery of her grandmother’s past, but nothing seems to be coming together correctly. Her grandmother suffers from Alzheimer’s so can’t remember any of her past: so Hilly doesn’t know where to turn.

When I had finished reading this book I was a bit disappointed with the ending. I think that Linda Newbery could have expanded on the ending and Hilly’s trip to Israel as I wanted to find out about her grandmother’s past since the whole book is based on it; however she ended abruptly and unless she is doing sequel in my opinion left it in the wrong place.

However she kept me interested in the plot right up until the end and, as it is quite thick, that proves that it was a very good book. I liked the book a lot and I thought the beginning and the middle were very good and absorbing. She kept the plot very well and didn’t add too much irrelevant information into the story.

It was set in two settings which gives you a variety of feel for those times and as it was set in modern day and in the war this kept me interested in the two plots: when they came together at the end I thought Linda Newbery did this very well.

All in all I recommend this book as a good read even though the book cover doesn’t really attract you to the book. Once you get into the book you won’t be able to put it down. I think it is aimed at twelve years and above and I hope that it at least gets lots of consideration by the judges of the Carnegie Award.

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