Jennifer L. Ryan

"Through letters and journals, [this novel] unfolds the struggles, affairs, deceptions, and triumphs of a village choir during World War II [in England]"--Dust jacket flap.

A Novel

The Chilbury Ladies' Choir

Renee Blankenship

The Chilbury Ladies' Choir by Jennifer Ryan is a historical fiction novel set during the early days of WWII in a small town of England. Told through letters and diary entries, the story follows a few of the women in the local town ladies' choir as the struggles of war hit closer to home.

One of my favorite characters, Mrs. Tilling, leads the town through her quiet steadfast determination to not let the Nazis take away all of their happiness. Her character's transformation from a subservient wife and mother to a strong woman with a voice made me want to applaud her by the end of the book! One of my favorite quotes of the book came from her chapter...

"Everything was black in the moonless night, the blackout rules forcing all of the light out of the world. But with a cautious smile, I realized that there are no laws against singing, and I found my voice becoming louder, in defiance of this war. In defiance of my right to be heard."

I enjoyed the shenanigans of the other townspeople as well and my heart hurt right along with them when things went badly and the war turned up right on their doorstep. I think this story made more of an impact to me because it dealt with the personal lives of the people left behind, the women specifically, left to keep their world turning without the men they had learned to rely upon.

I'd love to see a sequel to this book! I was so proud of Mrs. Tilling by the end and would love to hear more about her time surviving the war with her fellow villagers and everything that followed in their lives during its aftermath.

Pierke Bosschieter

Veronica Overholt

Jennifer Ryan

NATIONAL BESTSELLER * "A delightful debut."--People For readers of Lilac Girls and The Nightingale, The Chilbury Ladies' Choir unfolds the struggles, affairs, deceptions, and triumphs of a village choir during World War II. As England becomes enmeshed in the early days of World War II and the men are away fighting, the women of Chilbury village forge an uncommon bond. They defy the Vicar's stuffy edict to close the choir and instead "carry on singing," resurrecting themselves as the Chilbury Ladies' Choir. We come to know the home-front struggles of five unforgettable choir members: a timid widow devastated when her only son goes to fight; the older daughter of a local scion drawn to a mysterious artist; her younger sister pining over an impossible crush; a Jewish refugee from Czechoslovakia hiding a family secret; and a conniving midwife plotting to outrun her seedy past. An enchanting ensemble story that shuttles from village intrigue to romance to the heartbreaking matters of life and death, Jennifer Ryan's debut novel thrillingly illuminates the true strength of the women on the home front in a village of indomitable spirit.

Kimberly Page

Erika Bilyeu

Devon Morton 

A warm, funny and big-hearted novel of wartime gumption and village spirit which will make your heart sing out, and is perfect for fans of Helen Simonson's The Summer before the War and The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. Kent, 1940. In the idyllic village of Chilbury change is afoot. Hearts are breaking as sons and husbands leave to fight, and when the Vicar decides to close the choir until the men return, all seems lost. But coming together in song is just what the women of Chilbury need in these dark hours, and they are ready to sing. With a little fighting spirit and the arrival of a new musical resident, the charismatic Miss Primrose Trent, the choir is reborn. Some see the choir as a chance to forget their troubles, others the chance to shine. Though for one villager, the choir is the perfect cover to destroy Chilbury's new-found harmony. Uplifting and profoundly moving, THE CHILBURY LADIES' CHOIR explores how a village can endure the onslaught of war, how monumental history affects small lives and how survival is as much about friendship as it is about courage.

The Chilbury Ladies' Choir A Novel

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