Jennifer Ryan (2)

The Kitchen Front is a fairly new World War II era story that takes place 2 years after Britain entered the war. It was published in 2021. The plot follows four women from Fenley Village who are competing for a spot hosting a wartime cookery program called The Kitchen Front. The contestants must create an appetizer, entree and dessert. Points are given by the judge and the lady with the most points wins the competition. This book was based on an actual BBC program of the same name. With German U-boats frequently disrupting the UK's supply of food, Britain's housewives had to use ration coupons in order to obtain goods. In an effort to help housewives with food rationing, this BBC show ran a cooking contest. The grand prize was a job as the program’s first-ever female co-host.

For young widow Audrey, winning the competition could be a chance to pay off her husband’s debts and keep a roof over her children’s heads. However, her estranged sister Gwendoline is equally set on success even if her own kitchen maid, Nell, is competing against her. Then there is Zelda, a trained London-trained chef desperate to succeed in a male-dominated profession. These four women found that in order to finish the competition they will have to bend the rules. Lady Gwendoline has borrowed a french trained chef from another manor house to cook her entries. Both Nell and Zelda obtained the meat for their main courses from friends but Zelda's came from a black market source. Audrey "borrowed" some herbs from someone else's garden.

I thought the author made a wise decision to write a WWII historical novel that focused on food rationing. The book is not your typical WWII novel. We don't read anything about the progress of the war or the soldiers fighting it. It's all about the families left behind. I loved the small town English setting of this novel. I also enjoyed reading the detailed descriptions of the food and the recipes that were given. It's amazing how clever cooks were able to make food that was delicious given all the food rationing they had to deal with. Recipes are given at the end of each chapter.

Initially I disliked both Zelda and Gwendoline, particularly Gwendoline. As the story developed, their pasts were defined and I began to admire them for what they overcame in life. Audrey Landon is the most sympathetic character in the story. She is trying to raise her kids in a dilapidated house. She is only able to get by financially with a small pie making business. Her sister Gwendoline is an upper class lady with a condescending attitude and no joy. She thought that marrying well would bring her happiness but it didn't. Her husband was abusive, both mentally and physically. Zelda is a pregnant single woman who wants to be a head chef in a ritzy London restaurant. Nell Brown is a shy kitchen maid with amazing cooking skills and a wonderfully patient and kind teacher, Mrs. Quince. Both she and Quince work for Gwendoline's husband at Fenley Hall where they all live.

The Kitchen Front is an inspiring story that captured my heart. It has put author Jennifer Ryan on my radar and I plan to read her other books.… (mehr)

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for a digital advance reader's copy. All comments and opinions are my own.

This book has all the good things: A book about a library. About people who love books. Saving books during the London Blitz. People who come together around this makeshift underground library and form a community despite the dangers of war. Of course I wanted to read this one! And it checked all the boxes – heartwarming, friendships, historical fiction, books and book lovers, a bit of romance, and based on actual events.

Many of the characters were endearing, engaging, and resourceful. Main plot, sub plots, and all threads tied up happily at the end. A satisfying, well-researched read that left me more knowledgeable about this time period and wartime in London. And I appreciated how the characters expressed their love of books throughout the novel.

I enjoyed and agreed with so many comments of the characters expressing their thoughts about books and libraries and their importance in their lives. Here are a few quotes:
“To Juliet, a library was more than just a repository for books. It was a spiritual and intellectual adventure, a place to delve into the rich treasure trove of life.” She explains to a friend: “To me books are like old friends, telling us great truths, holding our hands through the difficulties, showing us light and joy at the end of every tunnel. Sometimes all I need is to see my battered copy of Pride and Prejudice to know that the characters are there inside me, warming my spirit, telling me to live life on my own terms, comforting me that everything will be all right in the end. Books are the only thing that keep me going, a kind of home inside my heart.”

I loved the way author Jennifer Ryan was able to show how the books, and the underground library, had created a community during this extremely stressful and dangerous time. Friendships and romances were formed, families were reunited, and people developed courage and strength – all from the books and the library.

After I began reading “The Underground Library” I noticed this novel’s premise of Bethnal Green Library being bombed and relocating to the nearby underground tube station was the same as "The Little Wartime Library" by Kate Thompson but with a different fictional deputy librarian and a new cast of readers and volunteers. They’re each great novels, different enough that they complement one another, and you’ll be glad you read them both!… (mehr)