There’s nothing I love more than going to a bookshop and just browsing until I find a book that catches my eye (especially when I’m feeling stressed). This is how I came across ‘A Town Like Alice’ by Nevil Shute.

Very briefly, ‘A Town Like Alice’ follows Jean Paget’s experiences in Malaya during the Japanese invasion of World War II. We see how she overcomes the brutal treatment of her captors and finally settles in the Australian outback after falling in love with Australian prisoner of war Joe Harman.

I’ve kept this summary as brief as possible because I’d love for you to read the book and get to grips with the story yourself. So much lies behind this overview and, for me, the book has a real sense of discovery which I don’t want to spoil.

After I’d turned the final page of ‘A Town Like Alice’, my first thought was: “I feel like I’ve just read two books”. Through the narrative of an English attorney, Shute not only presents us with an experience of war outside of fighting on the front line, he also provides detailed insight into life in the Australian outback; which, in a ‘normal’ situation (for me anyway) you wouldn’t associate with one another.

This is a story of survival, determination, strength and courage. What I love about it is the fact that it’s not just Jean’s story that displays this, Joe Harman’s experiences are just as inspiring. Shute’s writing style really made me feel like I was living the character’s experiences with them.

A great read, this book gets 8.5 out of 10 stars and strong recommendations from me!

Happy reading xx