Just finished this book after only taking 2 days to read. Absolutely fascinating. I always wondered about women’s roles in the wars and by gum they were just brave women. This books characters Pat and Jean are two of the many women who volunteered themselves to save their country in dangerous circumstances. It is a day by day account of what each of the sisters did by signing the official secrets act the last two women alive quite poignant for the situation happening now and fitting with the 75 years anniversary of Second World War ending.

The wartime experiences of the Owtram sisters are so incredible and darng that this non-fictional account reads like a thrilling fast-paced piece of fiction. I really enjoyed reading the different perspectives of each sister which allowed their individual personalities to shine through. Both Patricia and Jean were engaged in top secret intelligence work which required intelligence, resilience and fortitude. This book is a testament not only to their incredible efforts but also shines a light on the secret efforts of thousands of women during wartime. Thank you Netgalley for the advance review copy.

An enjoyable and informative book to read. I learnt a lot about the part women and men took in the second world war. It was well written with the two sisters stories. I recommend you read this book if you want to know more about code breaking and to get more insight into the war activities.

What I appreciated the most about this book was the atmosphere. It felt as if the two sisters were sitting in a living room with me and going back and forth while they told their story. Both sisters kept very thorough remembrances of their experiences during WWII, and shared letters and diary entries with us as they shared with us.
What I couldn't get out of my head is what I assumed to be their class benefit. I do not claim to know much about British class systems both modern and non, but at some point, it was mentioned a gentleman was not to be considered for a romantic partnerships because he was not of the right class. Now, I don't mean to say the sisters sounded snobby, but it was obvious that it certainly did pay to have a godmother who was related to an ambassador (for example). I'm sure it opened doors of opportunities that lower class women would not have gotten. That being said it is evident that neither of the women whittled away whatever opportunity they were provided. They worked hard for their country and for their accolades.
In a later chapter, Jean mentioned that both her and Patricia married when they were older - in their forties, and that their time of independence provided by their positions during wartime contributed to that. It was nice that this memoir was about them (and their family - father especially), and that barely any time was devoted to romance, as so often becomes the case. This was a memoir about strong women made stronger due to the vehicle of war. As we move further and further away in time and events become lost to history, it is important to remember the people forgotten or not even mentioned by textbooks.

What a fabulously intriguing book about these wonderful sisters it just shows how resilient they had to be in these worrying times and how they coped with it. a highly enjoyable experience reading this book
Thank you to netgalley for an early copy in return for an honest review.

Brilliant book loved hearing exactly what the code breakers had to do and the secrets they had to keep. Reminded me of the Bletchley circle but a bit more intense