The Postmistress
The Postmistress by Sarah Blake, published by Amy Einhorn Books in 2010, is a historical fiction novel that explores the impact of World War II on ordinary lives. Set in 1940, the narrative follows Frankie Bard, an American radio reporter determined to bring the realities of the war home through her broadcasts from London. As bombs fall and the threat of war looms, the story also delves into the lives of Iris James, the town’s postmistress in Franklin, Massachusetts, and her unspoken feelings for mechanic Harry Vale, as well as the struggles of Will and Emma Fitch, a couple navigating their own challenges amidst the chaos.
Readers will find a rich tapestry of interconnected lives as the characters grapple with the weight of secrets and the urgency of the times. The novel alternates between the safety of America and the devastation in Europe, highlighting the tension between inaction and the call to arms. The Postmistress presents themes of love, duty, and the struggle to communicate in a world torn apart by conflict, making it a poignant reflection on the human experience during wartime. This first edition spans 326 pages and is written in English.
Official synopsis Publisher
Those who carry the truth sometimes bear a terrible weight…
It is 1940. France has fallen. Bombs are dropping on London. And President Roosevelt is promising he won’t send our boys to fight in “foreign wars.”
But American radio gal Frankie Bard, the first woman to report from the Blitz in London, wants nothing more than to bring the war home. Frankie’s radio dispatches crackle across the Atlantic ocean, imploring listeners to pay attention–as the Nazis bomb London nightly, and Jewish refugees stream across Europe. Frankie is convinced that if she can just get the right story, it will wake Americans to action and they will join the fight.
Meanwhile, in Franklin, Massachusetts, a small town on Cape Cod, Iris James hears Frankie’s broadcasts and knows that it is only a matter of time before the war arrives on Franklin’s shores. In charge of the town’s mail, Iris believes that her job is to deliver and keep people’s secrets, passing along the news that letters carry. And one secret she keeps are her feelings for Harry Vale, the town mechanic, who inspects the ocean daily, searching in vain for German U-boats he is certain will come. Two single people in midlife, Iris and Harry long ago gave up hope of ever being in love, yet they find themselves unexpectedly drawn toward each other.
Listening to Frankie as well are Will and Emma Fitch, the town’s doctor and his new wife, both trying to escape a fragile childhood and forge a brighter future. When Will follow’s Frankie’s siren call into the war, Emma’s worst fears are realized. Promising to return in six months, Will goes to London to offer his help, and the lives of the three women entwine.
Alternating between an America still cocooned in its inability to grasp the danger at hand and a Europe being torn apart by war, The Postmistress gives us two women who find themselves unable to deliver the news, and a third woman desperately waiting for news yet afraid to hear it.
Sarah Blake’s The Postmistress shows how we bear the fact that war goes on around us while ordinary lives continue. Filled with stunning parallels to today, it is a remarkable novel.
Author
Publisher
Topics
FAQ
What is “The Postmistress” about?
Who is the author of “The Postmistress”?
When was “The Postmistress” published?
What is the ISBN for “The Postmistress”?
What are the book details (language, pages, edition)?
