First published 1988
Mary Lee Settle transforms her own experiences as an American woman who joined Britain's Royal Air Force during World War II into fiction. The protagonist navigates the rigid military hierarchy and class distinctions of wartime England while serving as a WAAF (Women's Auxiliary Air Force) member. She confronts the gap between her idealistic expectations of contributing to the war effort and the mundane realities of military bureaucracy. The young woman struggles with homesickness, cultural differences, and the challenge of maintaining her identity within an institution that demands conformity. Her relationships with fellow servicewomen and British officers reveal the complexities of duty, friendship, and survival during wartime. The story examines how ordinary people cope with extraordinary circumstances and the personal cost of keeping brave promises made in peacetime.
Genres: historical-fiction, 20th-century, military-fiction, adult-fiction
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, found-family
Setting: Britain, England
Period: World War II
160 pages · Paperback · Scribner Book Company