The atmosphere in Carrie’s war changes throughout the story. In some parts, like when Carrie and Nick have their farewell picnic with Mr Evans and Aunty Lou and when they get their going away presents, there is a happy atmosphere. It is a touching moment and the writer engages the reader by her effective descriptions and choice of words. In other parts of the story the mood changes to a sad atmosphere when Mrs Gotobed dies and when the carries sees Druids Bottom on fire. The mood changes because of the similes and the detailed description that the writer uses.
The story starts with a brother and a sister named Carrie and Nick being evacuated from the city to the safety of the Welsh countryside, during the Second World War. The end up living with a man named Mr Evans and his sister Lou. It takes a while for them to settle in to their new life in the country, and at first they” desperately want to go back home” but they soon realise that their life isn’t as bad as they first thought and that things could be a lot worse. Along the way they meet new people explore new places and discover an ancient curse that has haunted Carrie ever since she discovered its power. The main characters in this story are Carrie, Nick, Mr Evans and Hepzibah.
Carrie – Carrie is overlooked a bit because of her brother Nick. She is older so people think she is dealing with evacuation better than him, but that is not completely true, she is just as scared and insecure as he is, she is just not as obvious about it. Also she is surprised when people compliment her because people have always said that “Nick is the pretty one” therefore Carrie isn’t very confident.
Nick – Nick is slightly spoilt and gets away with quite a lot of things, because he is the younger sibling and people treat him like a baby. This annoys Carrie and makes her feel slightly jealous, though Nick doesn’t seem to notice.
Mr Evans – Mr Evans is a deeply religious man and does everything by the book. He is strict with the children, although he does have a softer side. He is devastated when his sister leaves, which brings his nicer side out of him.
Hepzibah – Hepzibah is a very superstitious woman and believes many myths and legends. She took one of these myths too far and ultimately led Carrie to believe that she was responsible for Druids Bottom burning down.
I would give Carrie’s War an eight out of ten. It was a gripping read and had you hooked from start to finish.
Carrie’s War really takes you back to what life would have been like in 1939 and through all the ups and downs of being as a war time evacuee. Nina Bawden has made the book come to life with its strong characters and vivid description to what life would have been like during those times.
