Review of Maidy

[Marina Flisvou]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Maidy" by June Houghton Gatewood.]

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4 out of 5 stars

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In the book "Maidy," June Houghton Gatewood writes an emotional story that reflects the strength of a war-torn childhood and the unbreakable will to live. This book beautifully captures what life was like in an English orphanage during World War II. It deals with serious topics like loss, identity, and redemption.

Gatewood's story is full of vivid details that give a clear picture of this period and the main character’s feelings. First-person narration is an excellent idea for putting readers in Maidy's shoes and letting us feel her fears, joys, and problems directly. It is impressive how well the author can balance the sad realities of war with scenes of pure joy and innocence from childhood. But sometimes the flow of the story is slowed down by descriptions that are repeated too much and a plot structure that is easy to guess.

The best thing about this book is how well the characters develop. Maidy is a character that is both likeable and sympathetic. She shows how strong a child can be when things go wrong. It ιs interesting to see how different people deal with war, especially the nuns and Maidy's sister. Some characters, on the other hand, could be more developed so they don't just feel like background characters in Maidy's story.

The book is interesting, but it has some spelling and grammar mistakes. Fixing these mistakes would make the book better and help readers stay focused on the story.

The author does a great job of integrating deep themes into the story without making it preachy. Faith, loss, and the search for identity are some of the themes that are gently explored. The author's descriptions of the life of an orphan during the war give us another perspective to look at the search for love and acceptance that everyone has.

Despite the highlighted strengths, "Maidy" exhibits some flaws. The pace of the book sometimes seems slow, which might discourage some readers. The settings are very well described, but the secondary characters could benefit from more development, which would take the story from good to truly exceptional.

In conclusion, I give "Maidy" 4 out of 5 stars. It is a touching and well-written book that shows a sad part of history through the eyes of a child. The book has interesting characters, a lot of historical details, and no spelling or grammar mistakes. Readers who like reading about history, personal growth, and how war changed people would enjoy it. The book is a big step forward in its genre, even though the pacing and character development benefit from a few improvements.

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Maidy
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[Anozie Stephanie]

"Maidy" by June Houghton Gatewood made me realize what really transpires in an orphanage especially during the time of the world war II.