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Review: Even If We Cry - Even If #1

Even If We Cry book cover on blue background

Am I ever thankful to Mountain Brook Ink for introducing me to another Canadian author who has written a book set in Canada. In preparation for an upcoming release by Terrie Todd, I was able to read the first book in the Even If series called Even If We Cry about the plight of British children sent to Canada as part of the child evacuee program.

This insightful book has me even more excited about Terrie's follow-up book in this series called Even If I Perish.

Book Synopsis

Nina’s one task is to keep her family together while a world war threatens to rip them apart.

Warned they “mustn’t cry,” British teenager Nina Gabriel and her two young siblings board a ship bound for Canada as part of the WWII child evacuee program in 1940. Nina’s mischievous brother and seasick sister test her limits on the long voyage—but her burden of responsibility grows still heavier in Canada.

Determined to fulfill her promise to her parents, Nina battles to keep the siblings together through what they all hoped would be no more than one school term. Months turn into years. Unfamiliar Canadian customs, a foster sister who resents them, the mysterious deaths of their host family’s other children, and the birth of a new brother back in England complicate Nina’s world. It doesn’t help when David, the boy she’s grown to love, enlists in the air force with no end to the war in sight.

When a telegram arrives after a London bombing, will Nina find a way to fulfill her promise for the brother she’s never met? Will the Gabriel siblings learn that each of them is loved, even if they cry?

Source: Amazon

Book Thoughts

This was such a touching book that brought tears to my eyes, thinking of the losses that many suffered during the Second World War along with the families that were forever changed. I found that getting to know the Gabriel children in this story through their letters and narrative accounts of their experiences was helpful in understanding the difficulties of being in a foreign setting amid much uncertainty. Nina, being the eldest, bore the weight of responsibility the most, which allowed me to sympathize with her and long to see her have her own desires fulfilled. I also appreciated that her strong faith allowed her to have hope for better days while the war progressed.

Sharing the perspective of what it was like to try and assimilate into a new country, Terrie Todd delivers a compelling look into the themes of resentment, forgiveness, and belonging. In reading about the sacrifices that British parents made to ensure their children's safety by sending them over to Canada, this glimpse into a period of history that I don't know much about whet my appetite to learn more. The plight of the Gabriel children was captivating and I could not put this book down. If you enjoy reading about the impacts of the Second World War from outside of Europe, Even If We Cry is an unforgettable story about a family and about how God cares for us in all of our circumstances.

Book Summary

  • Format of book: 📱
  • Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Recommendation: 👍
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