Carrie's War

Nina Bawden's 'Carrie's War' is a classic historical fiction novel set during the Second World War, following siblings Carrie, 12, and Nick, as they are evacuated from London to a small Welsh mining village. They are billeted with the stern Mr. Evans and his kind but quiet sister, Auntie Lou. The children find solace and a sense of belonging at Druid's Bottom, a dilapidated country house inhabited by the eccentric Hepzibah Green (rumored to be a witch), the enigmatic Mr. Johnny, and their fellow evacuee, Albert. The story explores themes of family loyalty, prejudice, and the complexities of human character, as Carrie grapples with a family feud, a missing will, and a cursed skull, leading her to commit an act she believes is 'the worst thing of her life.' Told with a reflective frame story from adult Carrie, it offers a nuanced look at childhood experiences during wartime and the lasting impact of choices.

'I did a dreadful thing, the worst thing of my life, when I was twelve and a half years old, and nothing can change it' It is wartime and Carrie and her little brother Nick have been evacuated from their London home to the Welsh hills. In an unfamiliar place, among strangers, the children feel alone and find little comfort with the family they are billeted with: Mr Evans, a bullying shopkeeper and Auntie Lou, his kind but timid sister. When Carrie and Nick visit Albert, another evacuee, they are welcomed into Hepzibah Green's warm kitchen. Hepzibah is rumoured to be a witch, but her cooking is delicious, her stories are enthralling and the children cannot keep away. With Albert, Hepzibah and Mister Johnny, they begin to settle into their new surroundings. But before long, their loyalties are tested: will they be persuaded to betray their new friends?