The design and UX isn't done, Rob and Abbie, okkurrrr! 😌
phillysaurus's review against another edition
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Slow to start but payoff is worth it by the end. Poss a bit too neat happy endings for those who survived, but after going through so much with them I wouldn't really want it any other way!
msmandrake's review against another edition
4.0
I waited so long to read this sequel that I had to reread the other book before I read it, but finally, it's done. I was worried that it was going to be emotionally draining. And he does indeed rather casually dispatch a handful of characters and injure a couple of others, but if they made it through to the end they got a nice happily-ever-after. Which was almost a little bit too corny. But then while it's not that old of a book it's definitely what I would call old-fashioned, so I did kind of expect that. (But if he had killed off more characters, I probably would have been mad, so go figure.)
muggsyspaniel's review against another edition
4.0
A cracking read this, not quite up there with To Serve Them All My Days but not too far off.
The Avenue Story sits as a kind of cosy counterpart to Patrick Hamilton's bleaker worldview. Delderfield is clearly a left leaning, old fashioned optimist. The bad eggs rarely get comeuppance, instead they see the error of their ways and find redemption.
There is also evidence of Delderfield's obvious passion for the countryside with certain characters dreaming of a new life working the land. As such there is a crossover with another of Delderfield's epics of British life, A Horseman Riding By, a story that begins with a veteran of the Boer War starting a new life in the country. Also his preoccupation with new beginnings after wars like the protagonist of To Serve Them All My Days is to the fore. He also has a nice talent for really getting you to care about his characters and despite the cosy feel you can get a real shock every now and then.
An old fashioned writer then, probably not to modern tastes but when was that ever a drawback?
The Avenue Story sits as a kind of cosy counterpart to Patrick Hamilton's bleaker worldview. Delderfield is clearly a left leaning, old fashioned optimist. The bad eggs rarely get comeuppance, instead they see the error of their ways and find redemption.
There is also evidence of Delderfield's obvious passion for the countryside with certain characters dreaming of a new life working the land. As such there is a crossover with another of Delderfield's epics of British life, A Horseman Riding By, a story that begins with a veteran of the Boer War starting a new life in the country. Also his preoccupation with new beginnings after wars like the protagonist of To Serve Them All My Days is to the fore. He also has a nice talent for really getting you to care about his characters and despite the cosy feel you can get a real shock every now and then.
An old fashioned writer then, probably not to modern tastes but when was that ever a drawback?
infosifter's review against another edition
4.0
A continuation of the stories told in The Dreaming Suburb, The book describes how the characters fared through World War II. The story of the blitz is often told in an aggressively patriotic style, but this is more realistic, those still a tribute to human resilience. There is adventure, tragedy, joy, and occasional comedy. I didn't feel overly attached to any of the characters because of the episodic style of the book, but definitely cared enough about them to want to know what would happen next.
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