Review of Northern Pole

[Jennifer Coxon]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Northern Pole" by Julie Fearn.]

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4 out of 5 stars

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Roman, Elouna and their father are enjoying a pleasant Winter evening at home whilst waiting for their mother to return from work. A knock at the door turns the family’s world upside down. The Gestapo is there to arrest them all. It is 1940’s Warsaw, and Poland is under occupation by the Nazis.

Fast forward six years, Roman is in Italy following his time fighting alongside the Allies. He must decide where to settle now the war is over and selects the option that places him in Northern England. Find out what happens to Roman in the Northern Pole.

Northern Pole by Julie Fearn is a beautifully endearing, heart-breaking, fear-inducing historical fiction novel. I honestly could not put this book down. I recommend this book to anyone who loves historical fiction centred around World War II, its fallout, and romance. Parts of this book may trigger some people, although activities are only implied and not described. There is also a level of profanity.

There was so much to adore about this book. I loved the author’s ability to convey emotions, from Roman wearing his heart on his sleeve to the fear or shame of what the characters needed to do to survive.

I liked that the author conveyed the realities of the different cultures throughout, including the harsh realities of the treatment of foreigners in Northern England in the late 1940s and early 1950s. Based on the author’s background, I think she must have drawn on some of the stories of her mother and father – Fearn is from a Polish-Irish household in Yorkshire. Fearn has weaved these cultures into the storyline seamlessly.

My one dislike about the book was the confusion of Saturdays and Sundays throughout the Northern England section of the book. Roman and his colleagues work six days a week at the mill and have only Sunday as their free time. However, several times in the book, the wrong days are employed, and either the activities take place on Saturday rather than Sunday, or the activities happen on Sunday with the next day also Sunday. This content error and the number of typographical errors in the book require professional editing.

Due to the need for editing, I can only rate this book four out of five stars. However, this book will stay etched in my heart. The story truly deserves five stars.

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Northern Pole
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[Cara Wilding]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Northern Pole" by Julie Fearn.]

Roman, Elouna and their father are enjoying a pleasant Winter evening at home whilst waiting for their mother to return from work. A knock at the door turns the family’s world upside down. The Gestapo is there to arrest them all. It is 1940’s Warsaw, and Poland is under occupation by the Nazis.

There was so much to adore about this book. I loved the author’s ability to convey emotions, from Roman wearing his heart on his sleeve to the fear or shame of what the characters needed to do to survive.

I liked that the author conveyed the realities of the different cultures throughout, including the harsh realities of the treatment of foreigners in Northern England in the late 1940s and early 1950s. Based on the author’s background, I think she must have drawn on some of the stories of her mother and father – Fearn is from a Polish-Irish household in Yorkshire. Fearn has weaved these cultures into the storyline seamlessly.

Jennifer, another great review! This sounds like a heartbreaking story. I've read more non-fiction about WWII, and I'm interested in how this author has blended fiction with this historical period. I can only imagine what kind of examples are given in this book with regards to survival, but I am betting the reader gets a front-row seat to human nature's most basic instincts. If the author did draw on these stories from her own mother and father, bravo; however, again, heartbreaking. I enjoyed your review so much that I've added yet another book to my 'want to read' bookshelf. Thanks so much for sharing your review!

[Jennifer Coxon]

Jennifer, another great review! This sounds like a heartbreaking story. I've read more non-fiction about WWII, and I'm interested in how this author has blended fiction with this historical period. I can only imagine what kind of examples are given in this book with regards to survival, but I am betting the reader gets a front-row seat to human nature's most basic instincts. If the author did draw on these stories from her own mother and father, bravo; however, again, heartbreaking. I enjoyed your review so much that I've added yet another book to my 'want to read' bookshelf. Thanks so much for sharing your review!

Thanks, Cara. I'm glad you enjoyed the review. If you do get around to reading it, I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

[Amy Luman]

I am not really a fan of historical fiction, but sometimes they're worth it. This seems to be one of those. I'm intrigued by Roman and his experiences. Thanks!

[Alice Heritage]

Historical fiction gives such a fascinating perspective on how events shape the lives of individuals. I appreciated your clearly written review of what sounds like a colourful, and evidently memorable, story.

[Chandrakant Patel]

Your review offers a well-rounded assessment of the book, helping potential readers decide if it aligns with their preferences and expectations.