Bonfire Night

By: Anna Bliss

Narrated by: Alix Dunmore

Set before and during World War II, this moving, intricately wrought historical novel brings together a young Irish Catholic photographer and a British Jewish medical student, each discovering the price of love, art, and ambition.

London, 1936: At twenty-one, Kate Grifferty is a press photographer in a Fleet Street agency, an unusual job for a young woman. But Kate is both talented and daring, recklessly going wherever the story might be—including, one October day, to an anti-fascism protest in East London.

There, she meets David Rabatkin, a brilliant Jewish medical student. While his idealistic brother is eager to go to Spain and join the fight for the Republic, David knows where his path lies: at home, fulfilling the expectations of his profession and his family.

Kate is exposed for the first time to the dangers and demands of David’s world, where marrying within the Jewish faith is seen as not only preferable, but key to survival. Kate neither expects nor wants to be any man’s wife, hampered by convention. And though she and David are both outsiders, as war looms, other differences between them are thrown into sharp relief.

Brighton, 1940: Catastrophe forces Kate to flee London, and the onslaught of war finds her working at her sister’s seaside boardinghouse, while David tends patients at a busy London hospital as the Blitz rages. But Kate’s challenges and disappointments have only deepened her desire to capture images of life unfurling around her, the beauty and violence, struggles and surprising joys. Andsoon fate and ambition will align, providing her with the chance to make her mark at last …

“A treasure of a novel, beautifully written with the unflinching style and subtle psychological insights of such masters as Ian McEwan and Graham Swift.”—Natalie Jenner, Author of Bloomsbury Girls

©2024 Anna Bliss (P)2024 W. F. Howes Ltd.

Wonderfully detailed historical novel with amazing narration!

This book was captivating from the start, with a fascinating setting, real, vivid characters, and a delightful lack of cliche. I loved it!!

Exploring love and history in an unforgettable narration

This is the best audiobook I’ve ever listened to. The narrator’s voice is somehow both soothing and invigorating to this already thrilling love story. I learned so much new information about 1930s and 1940s England AND felt every emotion there is. Highly recommend.

Melodic writing and the narrator brought it to life.

I loved the characters and how multidimensional they each were. he pace was perfect and kept my Interest. I started looking forward to my commute so I could gear what was going g to happen next :)

Bittersweet independent woman pro and con

I took of a star for totally unnecessary profanity . Especially taking the Lords name in vain. I noticed this is an unattractive trait for this author as I have listened to her other books. It adds nothing to the story. Too
Much descriptive detail. Too much filler. But I personally could and did identify with main character. Not her pitiful child hood but her ambition . She was a very hard worker and grew up in an age where women like her were not appreciated.