BLOG TOUR Review: The Dilemma by Sarah Hawthorn

I received an e-arc of this book as part of the blog tour organised by Random Things Tours. This did not affect my opinion of the book in any way.

Publisher: Bloodhound Books
Published: August 2022
Pages: 294

Synopsis

A daughter returns to the island of Guernsey to solve a mystery and track down the truth about her mother’s double life, in this historical page-turner.

1958. Esme, a novelist, finds a potential new literary project. A housemaid named Clara was convicted of murder, perhaps unjustly, amid the ending of World War II and the liberation of Guernsey from Nazi occupation. Esme’s trip to Guernsey is an opportunity not only to research the case, but to learn more about her mother’s family—as well as to heal from the heartbreak inflicted on her by the man she loved…

1915. A teenager marries her childhood sweetheart before he heads off to fight in the Great War. But he doesn’t come back, and Jane, presumed a widow, flees Guernsey—devastated by her loss. In London, Jane finds a new life and a new husband—but her past isn’t done with her yet.

This absorbing novel follows the parallel paths of two generations of women, and as each is faced with painful decisions and shocking discoveries, a question emerges: Can a lie be forgiven when the truth seems too much to bear?

My Thoughts…

It had been a while since I’d thrown myself in a historical novel filled with family secrets and, having basically devoured The Dilemma, I can confidently say that I had somewhat missed it.

Esme’s story starts when she finds a mysterious letter while clearing her mother’s house after her sudden death – a letter from many years before urging her mother to return to Guernsey. Except, as far as Esme knows, her mother had no links to the island, having left it as a young woman with no family. Desperate to leave her life in London as the man she loves announces his engagement to another woman, Esme sets off to Guernsey to shed some light on this mystery… and maybe find some family along the way.

The story is told in alternating POVs, moving between Esme – who is dealing with the aftermath of her mother’s sudden death in 1950s London – and Jane – a young woman trying to make sense of the fact that her husband is presumed dead in action during WWI. Both women are compelling characters, very well depicted with all their contradictions and confusions as they grapple with huge events and the effects of choices made many years before. The double POV added depth to the characters, and it really helped to empathise with both women, who otherwise might have come off as completely different characters. I particularly enjoyed Esme’s journey and her growth, as she fully develops into the wonderful woman she is and makes peace with her past.

The island setting also worked beautifully and I loved learning some more about it since I’m not really familiar with Guernsey (aside from The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society). I really enjoyed how the author managed to convey the strong sense of community, with all its ups and downs, and the slower pace of island life that allows for reflection and healing in contrast with London’s fast pace.

The mystery itself was intriguing but ultimately, for me, it was maybe the least convincing element to the story. For someone who reads a lot of books a fair number of twists will be quite easy to predict, removing a lot of the suspense, and a few things just seemed a bit too much. I won’t go into further detail as I’m heading dangerously into spoiler territory, but there does seem to be an awful lot going on at times, which ends up making the story just a little too unrealistic for me to enjoy it fully. The ending also felt a tad abrupt, with a very easy resolution coming virtually out of nowhere and being a little too convenient.

Still, this was a very pleasant read overall and, despite a few small issues, I really enjoyed reading this book. I would recommend it to readers looking to dip their toes in historical fiction with an easy read focusing on mothers and daughters and lots (truly, lots!) of secrets.