Published: 2022
Author: Sally Nicholls
Genres: Historical Fiction, Young Adult, Romance, Historical, Christmas, War, Fiction, Holiday, Family
Audience (Grade Levels): Teen / Grades 9-12
Number of Stars: ⭐⭐⭐ (3/5 Stars)
Goodreads Link: The Silent Stars Go By
Triggers: Teen pregnancy & War
Review By: Gina Iorio
Publisher’s Summary:
Three years ago, Margot’s life was turned upside down when her fiancé, Harry, went missing in action on the Western Front. Worse, she was left with a devastating secret which threatened to ruin her life and destroy the reputation of her family. As a respectable vicar’s daughter, Margot has had to guard that secret with great care ever since, no matter how much pain it causes her. Now it’s Christmas 1919, and Margot’s family is gathering back home in the vicarage for the first time since the end of the Great War. And miraculously Harry has returned, hoping to see Margot and rekindle their romance. Can Margot ever reveal the shocking truth to the only man she has ever loved?
Review:
While aspects of this novel intrigued me, I also found parts of it dull. The author did a wonderful job of portraying the attitudes of the era. Readers will get a feel for World War I, but the plot moves slowly despite its brief chapters. The way the author handled the subject of teen pregnancy may shock some readers. While I loved the historical accuracy, it was not enough for me to fall in love with this novel.
Margot’s conflict wasn’t one I could connect to, and I didn’t feel any emotion for the characters. Everyone was one-dimensional, and all characters faded into the background. I wanted to like this book, but it left me wanting more. To make matters worse, the ending was predictable. This was a quick read, which may appeal to students that also like to read historical fiction.
Classroom & Curricular Connections:
- Social Studies & European History: Great text for examining the social history of post-World War I Europe, specifically focusing on the strict societal expectations, gender roles, and family reputations in Edwardian/post-war England.
- Health Education & Guidance: Provides a historical comparative framework for discussing the social stigmas, institutional pressures, and shifting historical perspectives surrounding unplanned teen pregnancy.
- English Language Arts / Novel Analysis: Useful for high school literature modules analyzing narrative pacing, assessing character dimensions, and evaluating how predictable resolutions impact reader engagement.
Extension Activity / Library Application:
- Historical Stigma & Timeline Project: Have students research the actual legal and social realities of unwed mothers in early 20th-century Britain. Students can build a comparative timeline showing how societal safety nets, healthcare options, and cultural attitudes toward unwed parents have evolved from 1919 to the modern day.
- Character Dimensionality Workshop: Prompt students to address the reviewer’s critique that the supporting characters feel “one-dimensional” and fade into the background. Select one secondary character from the book and have students write a creative monologue or character journal entry detailing their internal motivations to give them more narrative depth.
Diversity & Representation:
The text addresses the historical vulnerabilities of young women navigating strict class structures and rigid religious morality in the early 1900s. While it explores how the policing of female morality affected family units, the book primarily relies on traditional, Eurocentric historical fiction frameworks. It serves as an example of how period literature can illuminate the systemic gender inequalities and lack of bodily agency faced by women of the era.
Readalikes:
- Lovely War by Julie Berry
- The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman
- Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein
