Book Summary and Reviews of Strangers in Time by David Baldacci

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Barry_E

Very Moving
Despite reading Calamity of Souls and adoring it, I was quite skeptical when I learned this book was to be a historical novel by one of my beloved mystery writers. It made me think of Ken Follett whose early mysteries I just adored, then quickly switching to the historical genre almost solely. Because it was Follett I read his first Kingsbridge book and never looked back. So for Baldacci I started this book with some trepidation and again was pleasantly rewarded.

An invigorating story of three characters brought together in London during WWII, themes of loss, finding oneself, triumph over unbearable issues, mental illness, and of course war provided a plot that just held me to the page. Unlike his fast-paced mysteries and comfortable recurring characters, this book took me out of my comfort some. Molly, Charlie, Ignatius had me laughing, crying, and searching my soul but above all made me realize how lucky I am living today, despite the present travails and uncertainty in the world today. No way a fast read for me as I pondered the occurrences and their deep meaning.

Elizabeth

Elizabeth@Silver's Reviews - DO NOT MISS THIS ONE!!
We meet three wonderful characters in 1944 London.

Charlie Matters who wears tattered clothes, too-small shoes, who lies to his grandmother, who quit school, and steals things.

Molly Wakefield who just returned home to her well-to-do neighborhood after being with a family in the country to avoid the London bombings.

Ignatius Oliver who befriends both Charlie and Molly, who owns a bookstore, and who Charlie stole from.

How do they become friends? What brings them together?

These three unlikely characters were brought together because they all needed someone.

The book focused on friendship and people taking care of each other.

The storyline was quite engaging, and I loved Charlie Matters for his scrabbly, trying-to-stay alive-and-out-of-the-workhouse personality and also for some of his honest deeds.

Charlie’s Grandma was wonderful as well - I think she knew all the things Charlie was up to.

Molly and Oliver were just lonely, wonderful people.

If you need a heartwarming, but heartbreaking read at times, this is it.

There is even a bit of a mystery along with short, pull-you-in chapters. 5/5

Thank you to the publisher for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Ann_Beman

WWII-set, character-driven historical fiction about found family
"This was their story. Three people standing together against all the world could hurl at them."
Set in London in 1944, this historical fiction novel tells the story of a bereaved bookshop owner and two teenagers from very different backgrounds who have lost everything to the second world war.

"But if I hadn't happened upon Charlie, and we both hadn't found you, I'm not sure what would have become of us."
A character-driven story about found family and the spirit of family, it brims with historical detail seamlessly woven into the narrative. I was not at first convinced I'd like this book. It took 68 pages for Molly and Charlie to finally meet each other, but from there the connections gripped me.

labmom55

Too predictable
3.5 stars, rounded down
I was torn about listening to this book. I’m tired of WWII themed historical fiction. But I adored Calamity of Souls. And there’s a mystery component to the book, which always draws me in. In the end, I found it was a mixed bag - good characters but a mostly predictable plot.
Baldacci did a good job of setting the scene of 1944 London. One scene was the most realistic and graphic of a bombing I’ve ever read. I won’t say I learned anything new, but he did an excellent job of incorporating quite a few facts without slowing down the pace of the story.
The characters are interesting and different. Two teenagers, on opposite ends of the economic spectrum, both find themselves without much of a support system. Fourteen year old Charlie is living with his grandmother after both his parents have died. And fifteen year old Molly has returned to London after five years away as part of the Pied Piper program. But yet, neither parent is at home to greet her, only her old nanny. And then there’s Ignatius, the bookseller who has lost his wife and is trying to keep her bookstore going. Charlie felt the most fleshed out. He’s got a strong ethical sense but it keeps coming up against the realities of poverty. And both he and Molly are often too afraid to confide in anyone what they’re up against.
The story moves along at a slow to steady pace. It’s a sad story as it shows how many fell through the cracks in the social support system during the war. As to the mysteries, they were all horribly simplistic and I was able to figure them all out quickly. The ending relies on one coincidence after another which was another disappointment.
I listened to this and there is a full cast of narrators that do a very good job.

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