Shoes for Anthony by Emma Kennedy

About the book: (from the publisher) This 1944 World War II drama tells the story of Anthony, a boy living in a deprived Welsh village, anticipating the arrival of American troops. Suddenly, a German plane crashes into the village mountain. A Polish prisoner-of-war survives and is brought into the community where he builds a close relationship with Anthony. Later, the villagers discover one of the Germans on the plane has survived and is still on the mountain.

Joyous, thrilling, and nostalgic, Emma Kennedy’s Shoes For Anthony will have you wiping your eyes one moment and beaming from ear-to-ear the next. This is a small gem of a novel that reviewers (and readers) will cherish.

About the author: Emma Kennedy is the author of several books, including bestsellers The Tent the Bucket and Me and I Left My Tent in San Francisco. She is also an actress and has appeared in many award-winning comedies including Goodness Gracious Me, People Like Us, and Miranda. She is the Fun Editor at Tatler, won Celebrity Masterchef in 2012, and is a Guinness World Record holder.

Genre: Fiction/Historical/World War II

My take: This book surprised me: a wartime novel—set in an impoverished community, no less—that is not the slightest bit ponderous but instead every bit a delight.

Let’s start with Anthony — or Ant, and his awful, smelly wellies. I defy any reader to not want to scoop him up and adopt him for yourself. And then there’s his big sis Bethan, the sibling we all wish to be — kind and confident, yet with a tender vulnerability that renders her eminently appealing. Throughout, the writer’s vibrant voice clearly delivers the sense of time and place, as well as the personality of the people. That right there sets this novel apart; I’ve never read anything else quite like it.

This is very much a character-driven novel, meant to be savored, preferably while sipping something warm for many leisurely evenings by the fire. The author takes her time to fully flesh out her characters, each as original as they come. Once revealed, these characters promise to stick with you a while.

I’d especially recommend Shoes for Anthony for those whose last name is Jones (ahem) or Evans or Rhys or who are otherwise of Welsh extraction, as well as for fans of the  movies Billy Elliott, October Sky, or even The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill and Came Down a Mountain.

That said, no personal Welsh connection is required to appreciate this book — only a predilection for a charming story well-told and the time to sit still long enough to enjoy it.

{Just so you know: Some colorful profanity.}

Thanks to Thomas Dunne Books for providing me this book free of charge. All opinions are mine.

After words: What’s the last book you read that surprised you?

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