The Silent Stars Go By

The Silent Stars Go By is a beautiful YA historical story about Margot, and the baby she gave up when her fiancé Harry is declared missing in action during the First World War. Now Harry has returned for Christmas, a different man to the boy who went to war, and Margot must decide whether to risk telling him the truth. 

This was a quiet story in many ways, yet packed an emotional punch. Margot, at seventeen, feels a lot older than her years. One of five children to a vicar, she's grown up sheltered in a small village, yet has already faced one of the hardest decisions of her life. Her son, James, is now raised by Margot's parents and sees them as his mother and father. There's jealousy on Margot's part, and an unconditional love she can't show James in front of others incase it risks exposing her secret. There's grief, a loss that she can never be to James what she wants to be. She's grieving for a life she can never have. It leads to a difficult relationship between Margot and all her family, with all of them on tenterhooks at times, although it's clear that all the siblings are close. 

Her relationship with Harry feels realistic and tinged with tension. She's anxious about seeing him, after shunning his letters in finding out he's still alive. How can she possibly tell him he has a son, but it's a son he can never admit he has? Every conversation is tinged with sadness and longing, furtive looks and loaded comments. They're never left on their own, adding to this building of tension between them. A few times I was desperate for Margot to just tell Harry the truth. 

The book also does a good job at tackling the issues of PTSD for returning soldiers. The plot of Margot's eldest brother returning to the family for Christmas after time at the front sits in the background of the story with comments about how he can no longer keep down a job, or feel like life is worth anything. It's just one example of how life has irreversibly changed for everyone because of the war - like the fact that there aren't enough eligible men anymore. The bells ringing for the first time in years to ring in Christmas morning was a particularly poignant scene, as the family had forgotten the constant peel of the bells to mark important events. With the return of men from the war, there's finally enough of them to ring the bells again. It marked a new beginning. 

Beautifully written story, with a plot that quietly draws the reader in with its relatable and complicated characters and exploration of post war Britain from a teenager's perspective.

I love YA fiction books and I’ve read loads but I’d never read a YA historical fiction until now. 
Wow, I loved it! It gives you all the feel and grabs your heart. This one is a definite must read

The characters really come alive in this book. The family interactions are spot on. Lovely Christmas setting. There is much internal wrangling of Margot as she plays over what she should do, which seems to be fitting for one so young dealing with such big decisions snd their consequences.

Beautiful story. As a mother I truly felt for Margot, I cannot imagine how much hurt and turmoil she was going through. I enjoyed her interactions with her siblings and mother but the best parts were with Harry, James and towards the end, her father, finding her place within the family as she transitioned from child to adulthood. She is trying to keep everyone happy and thinking of others at the expense of herself at times. I did feel the ending was rather abrupt and I was left a little unsatisfied. It is the sort of ending where if you know there will be a follow-up you can placate yourself, but, as a stand alone it is quite vague and open for interpretation. Overall I thoroughly enjoyed the book and read it within a couple of days as I couldn't wait to find out what was next! I would definitely recommend to anyone that enjoys historical, real-life, family/romance fiction.

Sally Nicholls' latest historical YA is set in the aftermath of the First World War. Margot Allan, a vicar's daughter, discovered she was pregnant after her fiancé Harry was reported missing in action. Two years later, Margot's parents are bringing up her son James as their own and Harry has returned to their village in time for Christmas. What kind of future can Margot expect with James and with Harry? I loved Nicholls' YA suffragette novel, Things A Bright Girl Can Do; this is, intentionally, a much simpler and more straightforward story. Nicholls warmly evokes the atmosphere of the village at Christmastime, as well as the heady flashbacks to Margot and Harry's summer romance. She brings the Allan family vividly to life despite their brief page-time, and we do really care about and root for the characters. Margot's central dilemma isn't developed as subtly over the course of the novel as it might have been, so her internal monologue becomes quite repetitive at times, and the book stalls a bit in the middle. Nevertheless, this is a cozy, lovely read that I'm sure will appeal to adults as well as teenagers. 3.5 stars.