Shelter Me [Paperback]

 

 

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Maggie Leigh is a teenager growing up in war torn London in 1941. So far, Maggie and her mom have avoided any of the bombing raids over the city. But she is used to the blackout curtains and the warning sirens. It isn't until she ventures into another part of the city with her world-traveled Aunt Joan that the reality sets in. Maggie and her aunt are shopping in an exotic fabric shop when the unmistakable sound of a low-flying plane is heard overhead. In a matter of moments, the street outside is destroyed, and debris flies into the shop. As the plane passes, Aunt Joan grabs Maggie and runs for the underground station. They've been taught that the underground stations are deep enough to protect from the bombs above.

Unfortunately, the underground isn't as safe as they'd hoped, and the ceiling is about to cave. Protecting Maggie over everything else, Aunt Joan forces Maggie up the stairway. Maggie makes it back out safely, but Aunt Joan is left in a coma. It's from here that Maggie's mother decides that the best and safest place for Maggie to shelter is on the coast at her Uncle Harold's. Maggie doesn't have much say in the matter, and within two days, she finds herself on a train headed towards Carmarthen, with a letter from her mother stashed in her pocket.

It's only when the train arrives late at night at a deserted station that Maggie starts to worry. A lone car pulls up and a nun steps out. Maggie is confused, until Sister Bramley has Maggie retrieve the letter. The letter wasn't for her Uncle Harold, but for herself! Her mother is sending her to St. Garan's for the next three months. It's a convent in the middle of nowhere. Her mother is overly religious and was afraid that Aunt Joan's influence was corrupting Maggie.

Life at St. Garan's starts out miserably, and goes from bad to worse. It's only when she is befriended during the night by Kate that there is any bright spot for Maggie. Kate knows how to work the convent and helps Maggie to survive.

But a horrible event occurs on the beach below the rocky cliffs of St. Garan's. Maggie knows she will be blamed and life will become intolerable. Kate rescues her and the two decide to run away in the middle of the night. The duo turns into a foursome before the night is over, and they do their best to escape from St. Garan's.

It's at this point that I can't give anything else away. It would spoil the rest of the story!! I have to give the author kudos for writing a book that didn't give anything away before it was necessary. I could anticipate Maggie wanting to leave St. Garan's but did not plan on how it would turn out. I was kept turning pages from the initial bombing until the last page.

The story is dark, set in a desperate time in history, but Maggie's spirit and perseverance keeps the novel from becoming too depressing. The situations felt real and the horrors Maggie endured were traumatic, but she was a strong character able to persevere. This is yet another novel by Alex McAulay that I was relieved to end because of the constant suspense, but sad to see end because I was so caught up in the entire story.

Reviewed by: Jaglvr

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