Author: Mary-Anne O’Connor
ISBN: 9781489241146
RRP: $32.99
Publisher: Harlequin
Copy: Courtesy of the Publisher
War Flower is the third Mary-Anne O’Connor release, the third set against a backdrop of war and the second I have read. The more of her work I read, the more I know I need to go back and read Gallipolli Street. The books are all stand alone but tied together by the common theme of war, and they progress through wars. Gallipolli Street was a tale of the ANZACS, Worth Fighting For is set in World War II and War Flower is set in the late 1960s against a backdrop of the Vietnam War.
Poppy and her twin sister Rosemary have quite strict parents and so they are quite sheltered in their girls school, and it makes them a target for the popular girls. The teenage girl dynamic is timeless and well written, regardless of the generation this is an age old story. Of course the boy Poppy meets on the train one afternoon also catches the eye of one of the popular girls and the stage is set for the rivalry to escalate.
Ben Williamson is a popular boy with his life all planned out for him. The Williamson’s are a wealthy family with a deeply ingrained sense of family duty and high expectations, especially for Ben as he is a male set to continue the family name. He is set to finish school, join the armed forces to service his country for a set number of years and then return to for law school. Nowhere does that take into account Ben’s creative soul and artistic talents.
Involvement with the school band allows the twins a Surfers Paradise escape which finally sees them able to join in with their peers and embark on a secret new life.
Surfers Paradise is the place to be that summer; not only are the Flannery twins on the coast but also some of their friends, Ben Williamson has taken a holiday with his mates and a pair of brothers have trekked cross country in a rattly old vehicle all the way from Western Australia. This is the summer that sets the scene for a new way of life for all of them.
Conscription and the birthday lottery was a reality for the young men of the late sixties and we see some young Aussie’s number come up. Ben had always planned to do service for his country but that didn’t mean he wanted to serve on the front line.
Angus trekked the country from one side to the other only to be conscripted after embarking on a passionate love affair. We follow him to Vietnam and get a frontline look at life in the trenches.
O’Connor has written and insightful and well researched novel that explores the lives of the young men who were conscripted into service as well as what life was like in the sixties for those left behind. The protests, the political uprising, the drugs and the parties, and just how easily some people got swept up in that lifestyle and carried into addiction.
We follow our cast of leads through years of upheaval and turmoil, from the innocence of adolescence through war, addiction, betrayal and acceptance. An interesting look at a dark time in history. O’Connor’s characters are diverse, interesting and well developed; she created a cast of leads I connected with and wanted to see find a happy ending. Some of the secondary characters on the other hand, I couldn’t bring myself to hope they got a happy ending but what they deserved.
I am left wanting to go back and read Gallipolli Street, and I look forward to seeing what O’Connor has in store for us next.
War Flower is book #43 for the Australian Women Writer’s Challenge 2017.
Available now from Harlequin, Angus & Robertson Bookworld, Booktopia and where all good books are sold.
You can find Mary-Anne at her Website as well as on Facebook.
Everyone is going to have a different take on this one I think and I will be interested to hear what our readers think.
Thanks to Harlequin 20 of our Beauty and Lace Club members will be reading War Flower so please be aware there may be spoilers in the comments below.
I devour books, vampires and supernatural creatures are my genre of choice but over the past couple of years, I have broadened my horizons considerably. In a nutshell – I love to write! I love interacting with a diverse range of artists to bring you interviews. Perhaps we were perfect before – I LOVE WORDS!
Thankyou Beautyandlace and harlequinbooks for the opportunity to review ‘War Flower’ by Mary-Anne O’Connor.
The book begins in 1965. Twins Poppy and Rosemary Flannery from a strict Catholic family and living in Sydney are not part of the ‘in’ crowd! They nickname the bully girls whose ringleader is Barbara the ‘Dog Squad’, and because Barbara is attracted to Ben a boy Poppy meets on the train, Barbara becomes very competitive and nasty.
Both Poppy and Rosemary have the opportunity to try out for the Catholic Schools Orchestra and as it’s being held in Surfers Paradise they attend and enjoy beach paries when they sneak out from their accomodation. Here Poppy catches up with Ben again. This all happens after end of year exams and before they’ll attend university.
Meanwhile Angus and his brother Spike travel from Broome to Surfers for a holiday and get to meet the twins and Ben at a beach party. They become close friends.
The story continues to 1966. Ben who is from a prividged background with controlling parents attends the military college in Duntroon mainly because of his father’s insistance, it being a family tradition to serve.
He finds himself being sent to serve in Vietnam and because Angus has been balloted they meet up there again.
The sixties are featured strongly with drugs, protests against the Vietnam War and politics mentioned.. There is also a lot of the era’s music and artists woven into this interesting story.
The men who fought in Vietnam were not supported and lived every day with horrors they had witnessed.
Mary-Anne Ò’Connor has a unique way of making you feel you are actually there. I found parts of the book very sad and the characters were likeable (apart from Barbara) and real..
This was such and enjoyable book and another that it was hard to put down!
Set against the backdrop of Australia in the 60s and 70s with the Vietnam War being an integral part of the story ‘War Flower’ was an engaging read.
I grew up in this era and remember the protests, the horror and the rage that young Australians felt about the Vietnam war so I really sympathised and connected with the story.
Poppy and her twin sister Rosemary Flannery are ‘good’ catholic school girls who are kept under tight control by their strict parents. The girls attend a Catholic girls high school and are studious, musically talented and naive. When they attend their first school dance they are considered wall flowers due to their old fashioned ways. The school ‘in crowd’ bully the twins relentlessly.
Poppy has a chance encounter with Ben Williamson on the train home from music lessons and falls in love and can think of nothing else but Ben.
The girls have an opportunity to travel to the Gold Coast when they are selected in an inter school band excursion. Their lives are changed as Rosemary meets Angus and his brother Spike who have travelled from Western Australia and Poppy finally connects with Ben.
The lives of the couples in the 60s/70s is as expected. There are parties, drugs, sex and music. Poppy experiences heartbreak; Rosemary experiences love and lives life to the extremes.
Ben and Angus are sent to Vietnam. Ben as an officer and Angus is conscripted. Rosemary doesn’t cope with being away from Angus and becomes a heavy drug user. Poppy continues her university studies and waits patiently for Ben.
The hardship of war, long distance relationships, loss of friends, deceit, death, love and the struggle for the men returning from war to a ‘normal life’ are all dealt with compassionately and with real feeling.
There is heartbreak and horror but Mary-Anne O’connor, like her other brilliantly written books on war, has blended facts and fiction into an important and well researched story about a significant part of Australia’s recent history.
“People who come through war in one piece are called ‘warflowers’ “
I highly recommend this book and rate it 4/5.
Thanks for the opportunity to read and review .
War Flower by Mary-Anne O’Connor is a story about two somewhat sheltered schoolgirls who are starting to spread their wings set in the 1960’s. Poppy Flannery and her twin sister Rosemary are just starting to explore their opportunities and their boundaries. They are not part of the “in” set and are often ridiculed by the cool girls, especially when Poppy, and Barbara Rowntree are attracted to the same guy, Ben Williamson. Ben has his own pressures of family expectations and not feeling free to make his own choices. They all end up in Surfers Paradise, and get involved with the music and party scene, drugs, Vietnam war protest marches.
Ben and Angus, Rosemary’s love, both go to the Vietnam war, which was lifechanging in many ways.
I enjoyed the book, I could relate to the characters, and the story flowed well with a few surprising twists and turns.
Thank you for the opportunity to read it.
A beautiful story comes out of a horrible war.
War Flower by Mary-Anne O’Connor is well-written fictional novel set during the Vietnam war. Poppy and Rosemary Flannery are two young sisters from a strict Catholic family who grab the opportunity to branch out into the buzz and excitement of Surfers Paradise in the 60’s. Their innocence is tested amidst this new life of parties, boys and music festivals. But then everything changes when their love interests, Ben and Angus are sent to Vietnam to fight in the war.
Mary-Anne has created lovable and true to life characters through her beautiful writing and amazing story-telling ability. This was a very enjoyable read and I look forward to reading her other novels.
Thank you very much Beauty and Lace and Harlequin for the opportunity to read this amazing book.
Thankyou as always to Beauty and Lace and Harlequin books for the opportunity to read this book, War Flower by Mary Anne O’Connor.
War flower Is a book set in the 60s, based around the Vietnam War era. Main characters of the book are twins, Poppy and Rosemary, and also boys Angus and Ben.
Poppy is besotted with Ben from the moment of her meeting him in a chance encounter on the train. She doesn’t think she has a chance with him as popular girl Barbara shows interest, but Ben is also interested in her. After a few hiccups, they end up together as destiny intended.
Rosemary meets Angus and his brother Spike, and quickly falls for Angus. But, due to the war both Poppy and Rosemary have to wait as both boys and Spike are shipped off to war.
Touching on the heavy drug use in the 60s, and the lack of support for returned veterans, War Flower seems like a real story, and incredibly well written.
Although there is a few very sad circumstances involving Spike and Thuy, a local Thailand girl, War Flower is powerful, intriguing and makes it very hard to put down.
As a first time reader of Mary Anne O’Connor books, and not a huge fan of War books, I didn’t expect to like War Flower as much as I did, but War Flower has you hanging on and desperate to read the following chapters! It was a hard book to put down and I look forward to reading future Mary Anne O’Connor books. I will also be adding her previous titles to my book list!
I gave this book 5/5 and I highly recommend to anyone looking for a captivating, eventful read!
I have read one of Mary-Anne O’Connor’s other novels (Worth Fighting For), and enjoyed this one as much.
In War Flower, the two main female characters are twins Poppy and Rosemary Flannery. Both girls come from a family with a strict upbringing and they find themselves teased and out of the popular crowd with the girls at school. The ringleader is a nasty girl named Barbara.
One day, Poppy meets a handsome young man named Ben Williamson, a fellow passenger on the train.
Shortly afterwards, Poppy and Rosemary are given the opportunity to head to Surfers Paradise, and coincidentally, Ben is holidaying there, with some friends.
Rosemary meets Angus and they instantly form a strong bond.
But then Ben and Angus are sent to Vietnam to fight in the war. The sisters wait for the young men to return, but will they be reunited again?
I liked all of the characters in this novel, except Barbara.
My favourites include Angus’ brother Spike, and Thuy, an orphaned refugee from Vietnam.
The story is set in the sixties, and Mary-Anne makes you feel as though you have been transported to that time through her skillful writing.
Thank you to Harlequin and Beauty & Lace for the opportunity to read and review War Flower.
Thank you to Harlequin Books & Beauty & Lace Bookclub for the opportunity to review this book, War Flower by Mary-Anne O’Connor.
When I signed up to review this book, I initially had the impression that War Flower would be the usual romantic tale of a lovely young couple who overcome family difficulties or some travesty only to become husband and wife to live happily ever after; a sugary sweet romance. My goodness, I stand corrected. This is a romantic wartime novel that packs one hell of a punch with a truly tumultuous story line.
Poppy and Rosemary are twin sisters who grow up as sheltered Catholic school girls in the swinging 60s. They are naive, shy and subservient until they are finally allowed to spread their wings as they near the end of high-school; then their lives change forever.
Poppy meets Ben and instantly falls in love, and in competition for his affection with the most popular girl in school, Barbara. Rosemary meets Angus and falls for him too and life should be perfect. Then the boys are sent to fight in the Vietnam War and all of their lives are changed forever. Will the boys survive? Will they return to the safety of home? Will they have changed after witnessing the atrocities of war? Will the girls be waiting for them when they get home? Poppy & Rosemary have lives of their own and are keen to experience a new social atmosphere they have not been accustomed to, sex, drugs and rock & roll.
It is clear that this book has been very well researched by the author as we gain a true insight into the physical and psychological effects of wartime, the fear & vulnerability felt by those who are conscripted, and the heart wrenching separation and fear as loved ones are kept far apart from each other during wartime.
War Flower is a beautifully written tome; an insight into the experiences of those who grew up in Australia during huge political upheaval, war in a foreign land and the party, drug & carefree cultures of the 1960’s.
I highly recommend this book and look forward to reading more from this accomplished author.
War Flower was divine.
It was confronting and challenging. I felt conflicted throughout my reading and felt at times that I was too involved with the characters, It is hard to describe but Mary-Anne drew me into the characters lives and I was hooked.
The time warp and issues faced within the story are well established and very beautifully researched and written to present the hardships, difficulties and compelling underground activities of the 60’s.
Rosemary and Poppy are fabulous characters, Twins, but they are greatly juxtaposed throughout the story. The lives entwine and cross in frequent ways but they have some great differences also. Their upbringing greatly affects their personalities and extremes.
War is so confronting and real, Mary- Anne has obviously researched and portrayed her findings in a deep and realistic way.
the story was beautifully written and heart wrenchingly fabulous.
I read it from cover to cover in one sitting as I just didn’t want to put it down.
Thanks Beauty and Lace for the change to read it. I am going to pass it on to someone I know will enjoy it.
Reading War Flower certainly touched me emotionally as I recalled those torturous times when my young male relatives and friends waited for the birthday lottery. If they were unlucky enough to be conscripted their lives as they knew it were on hold for two years, and on their return they were certainly changed men. Veterans were treated badly, with no counselling available so the memories of war were locked inside to cause horrific nightmares forever. I lost two wonderful friends to this war , men who did not choose to be involved but felt the only other choice was to be imprisoned. The refugees, the unrest in Australia, the drugs are all touched upon in this novel . I think the author managed to bring to light the main issues which people living in the sixties had to contend with as the Vietnam war meant something totally different to previous wars. Although for me this was difficult to read due to my own experiences , nevertheless it is certainly a worthwhile read.
Warflower is the first time I have read the author, Mary-Anne O’Connor. This novel is set in 1960’s against the background of the Vietnam War. The story resonated with me because in the 60’s I was of a similar age and background to the twins Rosemary and Poppy, all from a strict Catholic family.
The author has blended facts into her fiction and researched well to give the true flavour of the conflict at that time.
The story is based on the twins, the young brothers they meet and a Vietnam refugee. It explores relationships, as they were at that time with empathy and understanding. O’Connor writes of war with emotion and manages to give the reader a close understanding of the horrors experienced by the young men who were sent to war with little understanding of what they would encounter.
She weave this in with life in Australia at that time. Young people experiencing freedoms unknown to their parents. The availability and acceptance of cannabis and LSD. Youths embarking on a new way of life with no road map.
I personally have memories of Protests, previously unknown, taking place in Universities and among all young people. The Vietnam War became increasingly unpopular. The young men returning from Vietnam, were shunned, there were no supports in place. Many of them turned to drugs and alcohol, which ruined their relationships and futures. I have cried many tears and offered support to those I know who fought in Vietnam, and to their families.
Warflower is very well written and brought back man memories to me. It is an excellent book to read if you want to know more about this important time in Australian history, or if you just enjoy a good story