Book Review 05: Enemy Brothers by Constance Savery

Happy Thursday, friends!! Today's review is of my first buddy-reading book and my top favourite novel. <33

P.S. I completely forgot to announce it in Monday's post, but I've made a shift in my posting schedule. I was finding it very stressful to have to write good posts and fill in tags every week. I also knew that I wanted to post more book reviews because that's why I started this blog, really. So I will be posting my reflection/tags/wrap-ups/writing posts on Mondays, and I'll be posting reviews or book recommendations on Thursdays and Saturdays, at least for now. Please be patient as I adjust to blogging and to a new life-schedule when college starts. I will perhaps post on unexpected days, or twist the schedule a bit sometimes.  

Enemy Brothers 

by Constance Savery

Synopsis: 

British airman Dym Ingleford is convinced that the young German prisoner, Max Eckermann, is his brother Anthony who was kidnapped years before. Raised in the Nazi ideology, Tony has by chance tumbled into British hands. Dym has brought him back, at least temporarily, to the family he neither remembers nor will acknowledge as his own. As Tony keeps attempting to escape, his stubborn anger is whittled away by the patient kindness he finds at the White Priory. Then, just as he is resigning himself to stay with this English family, a new chance suddenly opens for him to return home-to Germany! 

My Review:

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ & ❤︎❤︎❤︎❤︎❤︎❤︎❤︎❤︎❤︎❤︎

5+ stars and 10/10 hearts. How do I even begin this review? I put it off for days fearing that I could not properly explain how beautiful it is. I can only do my best and hope that you too will be able to pick up this gem and love it. First off, the setting. WWII England. It was amazing. It was 100% England and just a beautiful story of life—as normal as possible—during WWII. The characters were so English and they TALKED like Britishers (or Scots, if they happened to be Scottish). This book was published in 1943 and so is contemporary to the authors's time... which is just so cool. Next, the characters. Ohh... what can I say? I loved them. Bumbling, kind-hearted Ginger & his friends; sarcastic, kindly Jim; blunt, tactless Porgy; calm, loving Euphemia; gentle, steady Thomas; quiet, hard-working Mortimer; eccentric, humorous Jakob... and best if all, Tony and Dym. I loved Tony. He was so independent and yet so dependant. I loved his relationship with Dym, with Euphemia, with Thomas, with Jim. And Dym. Oh, Dym. What can I say of Dym? He was perfect, and yet... he *was* prefect. He couldn’t be other than perfect—perfectly. He was so calm, so loving, so dependable, so sacrificing, so wise, so tender... I have never been so deeply touched by a character before—and I’ve been reading books all my life, and love countless characters. The plot was perfect. Intriguing, but calm. Slow-paced enough to dwell on characters and personality and life and hearts changing. I loved the scene in the church, Dym’s speech on the war, the conversation between Jim and Tony at the end, the way Tony’s talk changed to show his heart’s change, the banter and humour between Euphemia and Tony (that time when he tells her he thought she was a bomb... xD). I loved all the reflection. The descriptions of the countryside. I cannot think of anything I disliked, unless it was a mention of a book with magic swords. I also think Dym should have rowed Tony for the desk incident... I would have enjoyed seeing that! This book is my #1 favourite novel. I have no higher praise. I love it as I loved no other book before. As soon as I finished it I wanted to reread it. And I did—at least, I reread my favourite parts over and over. Tony and Dym in the train. Ginger and the other midshipmen bantering. Dym chasing Tony into the wynd. Dym saving Tony from the bomb. Dym warning Tony of his nine lives. Tony realizing Dym’s flying is dangerous and all the reflections that provokes. Tony coming back the last time and Dym holding him tight. And that’s not all. I loved almost every scene in this book. I reread it about two months after the first reading, and I fell in love all over again. I cannot express how much I loved the beauty, the humour, the characters, the writing style... all of this book. I can only attempt to, and hope that you will love it too.

A Favourite Quote: “‘But why doesn’t He stop the war?[’”]

“‘Perhaps it’s because He has made us men, Max, not dolls that can’t lift a finger of their own accord. But I don’t really know; I’m not in the Operations Room, you see. All I do know is that the world has a Chief who was victorious when the powers of darkness struck at Him with everything they had. He has the plans today. The darkness won’t last forever. There’s a splendor beyond.’”

A Favourite Beautiful Quote: “Tony flung himself into his brother’s arms and felt them close round him tight. ‘Hold me so I can’t get away!’ he said, and found himself queerly rejoicing in the steely strength of those scarred wrists.”

A Favourite Humorous Quote: “‘Nein,’ Tony answered, with a resolute shake of his head. ‘Sprechen Sie deutsch, bitte. Sie Arlen bier nicht englisch sprechen. That means,’ he explained kindly, ‘speak German, please; you are not allowed to speak English here.’

“Not allowed! Euphemia looked down at the little figure swallowed up in a pair of James’ pyjamas, which she had not yet had time to cut down for him. Her lips twitched into a smile.

“‘Ick kann nick doytch sprich,’ she said brightly. ‘Hier ist medicine vrom Herr Doctor. Das ist the best ick kann do, Max. Ick hopen you understandt.’”

Purchase this book:

Canada | America

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Do you like WWII books? Have you read any books written in the 1940s? Do you want to read this book now??