The Soldier's Wife Paperback – June 28, 2011

The Soldier's Wife takes place in Guernsey in 1940 During World War II. The book starts off with Vivienne de la Mare a mother of two, whose spouse Eugene has gone off to war. However Vivienne has felt that he as always been gone and that they were never really connected as for she found out he had a mistress. At home Vivienne takes care of her two children, Millie who's 4 and Blanche who is 14, and her sick mother in law. As the war gets worse, many residents decide to evacuate to London to protect themselves form the Germans. Blanche wants to leave so bad when it becomes obvious that the island will be invaded and it wont be safe anymore. However Vivienne is worried about the safety of the small boat to London and decides to stay on the island instead. A few months later the Nazis bomb St. Peter port and then take over the Island. As more Germans come Vivienne tries her best to get food and safety for her family. Now that the Germans are here there are lot of restrictions including a curfew and shortage of food. Vivienne tries to avoid the Germans, until several German soldiers move in to the house next door to her. Although they are the enemies there is one solider named Gunther Lehmann who is being extremely friendly to Vivienne and her family. It is not long before Vivienne and Gunther have a secret affair and start to fall in love. Each night around 10, Gunther sneaks into Vivienne house and they fall asleep into each other arms. As food starts to scarce Vivienne is helped by her lover Gunther and falls even more in love with him. Although she knows that Gunther is the enemy she cant let him go. This if a forbidden love and Vivienne tells no one. A few years have passed and the war continues and so does the affair. However things start to change when prisoners from Eastern Europe are brought to the islands and are place in these horrible concentration camps. When she sees the horrible treatment of the prisoners she asks Gunther if he has anything to do with it. He explains to her that it is the Nazis and that he is part of another group and he cant change it. Vivienne tries to convince herself that it has nothing to do with Gunther. Yet, one day her daughter Millie encounters a escaped inmate from the concentration camp name Kirill. Vivienne starts to help Kirill and eventually hides him in her house. The Nazis come one afternoon and find him and kill him in front of Vivienne. Vivienne thinks it is Gunther who told them and forbids him to see her again. A couple of months pass and Gunther leaves to a new place. Vivienne misses him so much and regrets not being with him. When the war is over a friend of Gunther comes back to Guernsey and tells Vivienne that it wasn't Gunther that told the Nazis and that he really did love her. When Eugene returns they decide to live apart because of everything that has happened. The last scene we find out that Vivienne returns to her house and is with her baby boy, who is Gunther child. What I found really interesting about the book was the forbidden love there was. Both Gunther and Vivienne knew that what they are doing was completely wrong and were supposed to be enemies. Because of this prohibited love it was a breathtaking story that gripped me. From the first page to last there was always suspense of whether they would find out about this sneaky affair. Each time it drew me in closer and closer wanting to find out what happened next. A major conflict though between Vivienne and gunther, was the inability to communicate to each other. I think that is has something to do with the war going on because they are on different sides and are supposed to be enemies. The real conflict is trusting someone you love. For Vivienne it is very hard to trust someone, since her mother died when she was three. Also her unfaithful spouse, and she never leaned how to give trust to anyone else. Trust, is harder for Vivienne then questions of war or the good and the evil. She must decide if she can take a chance on love with Gunther and trust him. The Soldiers Wife mainly asks what would you do for you family? What should you do for a stranger? This is book has a little bit of everything, a bit of romance, mystery and drama all surrounding a good solid book. This superior novel illustrates a lot about history. It is during World War II but mainly talks about the occupation of the Nazis In Guernsey. The story is from the last day that Guernsey people can leave to London before the arrival of the Germans in 1940, around June. It continues until 1946 when the war ends. Although it doesn't focus on the prisoners in the concentration camps, it does show the people who have to live seeing this horrible treatment. The reader is also able to see how the islanders of Guernsey were able to survive, with the enemies surrounding them. This book shows just at what point in time does friendless toward the enemy becomes betrayal. This book shares a new perspective on the occupation. This book is defiantly worth reading for is beautiful language and descriptions and it difference between duty and morality.

I loved this book. A quote from the book says a lot about the story: "The world turns on in all it's loveliness, oblivious to us - whatever is done to us, whatever we suffer, whatever choices we make."This is not just a love story. It is a story of survival and courage, the human side of war, of having to make decisions in that grey area between right and wrong, and seizing the moment when your time comes. The main character Vivienne is faced with difficult choices, and in a crucial moment says" I know what I must do. I see this with perfect clarity, the absolute necessity of it, the weight of it falling on me, sudden, drenching as rain. But I flinch from it."Vivienne is a resourceful and strong mother of two, left to care for her daughters and elderly mother in law on the Channel island of Guernsey while her husband is off at war. She finds comfort and love in Gunther, one of the German soldiers occupying the house next door. The author LeRoy reveals them to be more than two lonely unhappily married people and assumed enemies, but also simply a man and woman who need and find love in each other in a difficult time. Gunther says somewhat angrily when Vivienne asks about his sides view on the war "Which of us would choose war? To have our families torn apart like this? But I would never say that anywhere else but here. You have to think always of the safety of your family." Although he has his own risks, hers are much greater. Great tension always lurks under the surface, adding an element of fear, either through personal discovery by Vivienne's family and community or her personal safety with the Nazi soldiers, but also her personal struggles with her own conscience. Vivienne's betrayal has many price tags if she were to be discovered, yet she continues to bear the guilt and to risk everything.The author successfully humanizes the war situation, bringing all people to the same level. Distinguishing between a Nazi Party member and a regular German officer in a different regime doing as ordered, she shows that underneath the uniform, before the war, each was a father, a son, a surgeon, or other professional and both sides are the same, if good at heart. Buried beneath the filth and rags and skeletal mask of the work camp prisoners are also men, fathers, sons, craftsmen. Behind the mended faded dresses and aprons of the housewife, is a provider, secret patriot, and hero, but always a devoted loving mother.Motherhood plays a huge role in Vivienne's character and she takes on her care giver position with tenacity and resourcefulness; feeding her family and sometimes others is a source of pride for her. Even as hardships continue to mount during the Occupation, she never loses her maternal sweetness and dedication to her family, taking care of them well beyond their physical needs. These detailed descriptions make Vivienne, her children, and her aging confused mother in law very authentic.The author LeRoy's descriptions are unique, almost painterly in a way, and I found myself constantly rereading her phrases just for the pleasure of hearing the words again. "The drenched grass a startling feverish green beneath the white of the sky, wet rowan berries shiny as a woman's lipsticked mouth..." Her descriptions of the Channel Island of Guernsey, at times harsh but more often rich and beautiful and thriving, captivated me enough to look it up while reading so that I knew more about the area. I also found myself stopping to look up facts about the war and events here, as referred to during this story as it unfolded, for my own curiosity, not that the book needed it. The details held their own, it was just so interesting I wanted to know even more.Gunther and Vivienne's relationship is a complicated love story, tense, sweet, tragic, and dangerous and of course forbidden and right and wrong in so many shades of grey. I highly recommend reading their story as they find comfort in each other during the terrible times of the German Occupation and all that happens with the Islanders, the soldiers who hold them captive, Vivienne and her family and in history itself on this unique enchanting Channel Island of Guernsey.

Das Buch gab einen guten Einblick in die Lage der Bewohner auf der besetzten Kanalinsel und die moralischen und emotionellen Probleme der Einwohner, die mit der deutschen Besatzung mehr oder weniger intimen Kontakt hatten. Und auch die Leute, die unter der Besatzung litten. Nicht immer 100% realistisch, aber spannend zu lesen.

I loved the book it supplied everything I look for in a good read, danger suspense and a love story. I look for a story line from this time period with a great plot. Just exactly what I needed in a good book

This is a must read story. Viva was so brave even though she was scared. I wonder how her neighbors feel about her son.

This book really places the reader on war torn Guernsey. Sympathies are felt towards the people of Guernsey, the prisoners of war and occasionally for the German soldiers as well. It's a nice easy read but very informative as well. Really enjoyed it.

REALLY LOVED THIS STORY. FOOD FOR THOUGHT.