I quite liked this book. It's quiet and reflective. I found myself thinking along with the protagonist, deciding whether I agreed with her decisions. After completing the story I continued to think about whether the protagonist was a heroine? was this a happy ending? All in all, a good read. ( )

Simple and slightly sad and lightly warm.
I enjoyed characters' conversations. ( )

A beautiful, gentle read. Kind of sad, but most enjoyable. La has such hopes for her life and really it all comes to nothing - such a shame. Well written and a joy to read - I shall certainly attempt some of his other books now. ( )

The last third felt rushed. ( )

This is a parable: the simple story describing La's unsophisticated experiences of looking after hens, starting a village orchestra and worrying about the overlap of loyalty and patriotic duty is symbolic of the daunting matter of survival in wartime. La's life is necessarily modest, typical of the bleak days of shortages and insecurity. Happily, The orchestra served as a distraction that helped both musicians and audience endure, not only run of the mill adversity, but the sustained distress of a difficult time.

A pleasant, gentle read with subtle reflections of ordinary life while the world was at war. ( )