The Forgotten Promise
A captivating gripping escapist WW2 Malaya historical fiction novel
By Paula Greenlees
Malaya, 1920: Two girls make a promise in the shadows of the jungle. A promise that life won't let them easily keep.
Malaya, 1941: Ella is running her late father's tin mine in the Kledang hills, while Noor works as her cook.
When the war that felt so far away suddenly arrives on their doorstep, Ella is torn apart from her family. Her daughter Grace is left in Noor's care as Japanese soldiers seize the mine.
Ella is forced to make an impossible choice that takes her to England, thousands of miles from home. She is desperate to be reunited with her loved ones. But will the life she returns to be anything like the life she left behind?
Review
This is a novel that really captured my attention from the first sentence and did not let up until that final full stop. In fact, this book was so captivating that I stayed up very late to finish it.
The historical detailing in this novel has to be commended, the author has certainly done her homework and that shines through in the believable setting. Likewise, I thought the characters came across as very real in the telling and I enjoyed reading about both Ella and Noor. This is, however, a very emotional reading, so be sure to have some tissues to hand.
If you enjoy quality historical fiction then this book will not disappoint. I highly recommend it.
Paula has lived in various places, including Singapore, where she was based for three years. It was while living in Singapore that the first seeds of her debut novel, Journey to Paradise developed. The crumbling buildings and the modern high-rises popping up almost overnight seemed to be a metaphor for the social diversity and change in Singapore at that time. However, as a young mother living there, she wondered what it must have been like as a post-war colonial wife living miles away from the familiarity of home. Despite the gloss and glamour of colonial living, women were frequently stuck in unhappy marriages, often unable to follow careers or have the independence to divorce if things went wrong – which they inevitably did.
Her writing, although set against exotic backgrounds, is set on the cusp of change – the shift from colonial dominance to independence. She likes to dig into a variety of issues, and her main protagonist is, in many ways, a metaphor for the events surrounding her at that time. It isn’t always an easy journey, but in the end, success comes her way.
For further information, including social media and blog posts visit Paula's website www.paulagreenlees.com
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