The Poppy Field
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4.2 • 149 Ratings
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- $9.99
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- $9.99
Publisher Description
‘A beautiful, heartbreaking novel of war and loss and the resilience of the human spirit’ Rosemary, Netgalley Reader
The USA Today bestseller!
Young nurse, Gemma, is struggling with the traumas she has witnessed through her job. Needing to escape from it all, Gemma agrees to help renovate a rundown farmhouse in Doullens, France, a town near the Somme. There, in a boarded-up cupboard, wrapped in old newspapers, is a tin that reveals the secret letters and heartache of Alice Le Breton, a young volunteer nurse who worked in a casualty clearing station near the front line.
Set in the present day and during the horrifying years of the war, both women discover deep down the strength and courage to carry on in even the most difficult of times. Through Alice’s words and her unfailing love for her sweetheart at the front, Gemma learns to truly live again.
This epic historical novel will take your breath away.
Readers are falling in love with The Poppy Field:
‘Both heartbreaking and full of hope and happiness’ Pam, Goodreads
‘Exceptional’ Cassie’s Books
‘A beautifully written, highly enjoyable read’ Nicki’s Book Blog
‘One to watch’ Good Housekeeping
About the author
Deborah Carr lives on the island of Jersey in the Channel Islands with her husband, two children and three rescue dogs. She became interested in books set in WW1 when researching her grandfather's time as a cavalryman in the 17th 21st Lancers.
She is part of ‘The Blonde Plotters’ writing group and was Deputy Editor on the online review site, Novelicious.com. Her debut historical romance, Broken Faces, is set in WW1 and was runner-up in the 2012 Good Housekeeping Novel Writing Competition and given a 'special commendation' in the Harry Bowling Prize that year. The Poppy Field is her second historical novel.
Customer Reviews
World War I Historical Fiction Mystery
The Poppy Field by Deborah Carr is super split time Historical Fiction. The story centers around two nurses, Alice serves in 1916 as a volunteer nurse in World War I France and Gemma in 2018 England. Mysterious hidden letters and a brooch are found in a house being remodeled. Vivid descriptions of scenery, people, food, and the medical care in World War I. I loved the story of the reality’s of life in both love and tragedy. Excellent writing style and flow of the story. I really enjoyed this book and hope to read more by Deborah Carr. I am also hoping to read more of Alice‘s story following World War I and more of Gemma’s story in the present. My thanks to the author, Harperimpulse and Netgalley for allowing me to read, review and enjoy this exceptional book.
It was an easy read, but lacked something
My first impression of the book was good. I enjoy stories that go back and forth between time periods, but the plot seemed borrowed from somewhere. I was particularly put off by what felt like cursory editing. I found many misused words, some typos, and incorrect use of French in some places. I very much liked the cold and unrelenting mother as a character; she was a good counterpoint to the sometimes sticky-sweetness of the main character. Overall it was mildly entertaining, but I knew how it ended by the middle of the book.
Blah
The split timeline and two stories is a good premise that author did not use to its full potential. The storyline from WWI was pretty good, the current storyline lacked a likable main character. I found myself skipping through the chapters on the current era as I did not care about the character and enjoying the story set during WWI.