What do readers think of The Prisoner's Wife by Maggie Brookes? Write your own review.

All the ingredients are there to make this novel, inspired by true events, an excellent read. Unfortunately, with the exception of the bonds formed between the characters, and the devotion of husband and wife, I found the book difficult to get through. Perhaps the detail of the incarceration, the marching, constant hunger, and ill treatment was too much.

3.5 I know I will be in the minority, but the book didn't hold my interest. I thought Izzy was spoiled and immature. I did enjoy the male characters. I've read a lot about WWII, but this novel I struggled to finish.

The overall story, based loosely on a true event with well-researched details from the war and terrain added, was pretty compelling. I finished it in less than a week. But I don't think that the novel was a total success. It's hard to pinpoint why this is. Possibly it was the case that the author wanted to fit in all her research instead of letting the story unfurl itself from her imagination? But it is a difficult trick to convey a monotonous series of weeks and weeks in an Interesting manner, and this was managed fairly well with small events happening to ease the boredom of incarceration or marching. The characters were pretty well-developed and mostly believable (if a little cartoonish). The tension of the separation didn't work for me - it seemed contrived. I wouldn't recommend it to a friend, but it was an enjoyable enough read for me!

Reading The Prisoner's Wife was indeed a long march for me. Author Maggie Brookes has penned what might have been an engrossing novel. Sadly, this tale of risk, deception, and incredible hardships, lacked necessary ingredients to cause it to become a masterpiece. Inspired by a true story, the author researched the historic period and used first person narrative as the avenue for her writing. A bright spot was the depth of friendships formed and the threads of compassionate empathy that existed between the characters.