Monday, March 10, 2025

Nineteen Steps by Millie Bobby Brown with Kathleen McGurl

 



Reviewed by Kristin

Nellie Morris is a young woman growing up in the East End of London during World War II. Her little sister Flo barely remembers life before the war, and pre-teen George is also being forced to grow up quickly. Despite the hardships, the three siblings and their parents are grateful to be together. Nellie works as an assistant to the council mayor, taking shorthand and typing letters efficiently.

One day, Nellie meets a handsome American airman, Ray Fleming. Predictable? Yes, somewhat. But it’s a compelling story that takes Nellie and her family and friends through quite a bit of heartbreak. Nellie and Ray are swept up in a whirlwind romance until a disaster wrenches them apart.

I found myself guessing whether the story would unfold as I expected. In many cases, yes, the foreshadowing brought forth plot twists that were not entirely a surprise. Yet I continued reading, caught up by the enjoyment of the characters and wanting to find out how and if they would make it through the war.

I also wondered if the writing was somewhat simplistic due to the young age of Millie Bobby Brown, a British actress known for her role as Eleven in Stranger Things and as Enola Holmes in, you guessed it, Enola Holmes and Enola Holmes 2. Brown is only 21 years old now, making her a teenager when she wrote this debut novel, admittedly “with” Kathleen McGurl.

In some ways, the book wrapped itself up a little too tidily. While the characters suffered many losses, they still found love and happiness. I still cared what happened to them, and even cried a few tears at their pain. The novel was inspired by events experienced by Brown’s own grandmother, her Nanny Ruth. For those who like wartime fiction and clean coming-of-age romances, I would definitely recommend Nineteen Steps.

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