Book No. 90 of 2020
While Ibbotson’s other books (that I’ve read so far, at least) feel like a respite from a darker reality, A Song for Summer is less escape and more a reminder of the fact that peace and contentment are too often fleeting. (It’s fine, though, I read this after the election was called and I’m way more okay with literature that gets real now.)
War and Nazi atrocities loom over the story like a dark cloud, making the moments of joy seem all the more precious. There are no classic Ibbotson villains here because evil is already so present. A lot of characters have very strong convictions and ideals, so the themes of love, art, and human connection are more nuanced and bittersweet. Neither the protagonist (a cook raised by an incredible trio of hardcore suffragettes) nor her love interest (a brooding composer with a penchant for defenestrating Nazis) are driven by singular ambition or even passion for their professions so much as they’re motivated by their complementary desires to save and care for other people.
Similar Vibes
Ellen in this book has BIG “Maria from The Sound of Music” energy.