White Feathers by Susan Lanigan: Book review

Susan Lanigan‘s Historical Novel, White Feathers, about, Eva Downey and Christopher Shandlin, set against the turbulent backdrop of the suffragette movement and the First World War.

Synopsis: White Feathers

In 1913, Irish Eva Downey receives an unexpected bequest from an elderly suffragette, enough to send her to a prestigious finishing school in England. There, she discovers friendship, independence, and a profound, unexpected love.

But as war approaches, society’s demands harden. When the man she loves refuses to enlist, Eva faces relentless pressure from family, classmates, and the public to brand him with a “white feather” a symbol of “cowardice”.

The choice she makes reverberates through her life and the lives of everyone around her.

Sweeping, thought-provoking, and rich in historical detail, White Feathers follows Eva’s struggle against a rigid and hostile social order, and her determination to carve out her own path.

No matter the cost.

Review: White Feathers

Susan Lanigan‘s Historical novel about, Eva Downey and Christopher Shandlin, set against the turbulent backdrop of the suffragette movement and the First World War.

White Feathers is novel that pulls no punches, being emotionally intense, and unafraid to tackle difficult themes that are brought up in the story.

However, White Feathers, seems to miss some of the key points that Susan Lanigan, sets out to explore.

Plot

The novel follows Eva, born in Ireland when it was part of the UK, who moves to England after her mother’s death to live with her father, sister, stepmother, and stepsister.

At the start, Eva is unexpectedly left money to attend a finishing school by someone she met during the 1911 census night.

This chance event sets off a chain reaction that leads her to form a deep, complicated connection with her English teacher, Christopher Shandlin, someone she later presents with a white feather.

The white feather was a symbol given to men deemed cowards for not enlisting in the military. While the novel briefly touches on soldiers’ perspectives about this practice, the story is firmly rooted in Eva’s point of view.

As a result, many of the wider political, social, and moral questions raised by the war are approached from a very narrow, personal angle.

The book does highlight issues of war casualties, the tragic reality of soldiers shot at dawn, and the devastation of wartime mental health, but always through that micro lens. It’s effective.

However, it also means much of the larger context remains unexplored.

Eva Downey

Eva herself is a fascinating protagonist. The novel makes it clear that both society and her family are stacked against her, yet there are moments when Eva behaves just as harmfully as the systems she resents.

The narrative is sympathetic to her, often framing her worst actions as products of circumstance rather than character, which should and would lead to many discusions by readers about this book.

Genre?

Although White Feathers is sometimes described as a romance, it feels far more like a historical coming-of-age story cantered on a young woman navigating a world on the brink of destruction almost a young adult novel, though it is more of adult fiction with themes and language used in the novel.

The normal. romantic elements are present but are not the heart of the novel.

Who should read?

White Feathers is ideal for readers who enjoy emotionally intense historical fiction that isn’t afraid to tackle difficult themes.

Particularly appeal to those interested in the suffragette movement, the moral complexities of the First World War, and character-driven stories that examine flawed, conflicted protagonists.

Conclusion

Despite its uneven aspects, White Feathers remains an emotionally rich and gripping read, as powerful portrait of a young woman finding her place during one of history’s devastating conflicts.

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