The Air Raid Book Club

The Air Raid Book Club is a novel published last year with many, many Brontë references:

The Air Raid Book Club

A Novel

By Annie Lyons

HarperCollins 

ISBN: 9780063296190

July 2023

London, 1938: The bookstore just doesn’t feel the same to Gertie Bingham ever since the death of her beloved husband Harry. Bingham Books was a dream they shared together, and without Harry, Gertie wonders if it’s time to take her faithful old lab, Hemingway, and retire to the seaside. But fate has other plans for Gertie.

In Germany, Hitler is on the rise, and Jewish families are making the heart-wrenching decision to send their children away from the growing turmoil. After a nudge from her dear friend Charles, Gertie decides to take in one of these refugees, a headstrong teenage girl named Hedy. Willful and fearless, Hedy reminds Gertie of herself at the same age, and shows her that she can’t give up just yet. With the terrible threat of war on the horizon, the world needs people like Gertie Bingham and her bookshop.

When the Blitz begins and bombs whistle overhead, Gertie and Hedy come up with the idea to start an air raid book club. Together with neighbors and bookstore customers, they hold lively discussions of everything from Winnie the Pooh to Wuthering Heights. After all, a good book can do wonders to bolster people’s spirits, even in the most trying times.

But even the best book can only provide a temporary escape, and as the tragic reality of the war hits home, the book club faces unimaginable losses. They will need all the strength of their stories and the bonds they’ve formed to see them through to brighter days.

Prologue:

He was a shy apprentice, but Gertie discovered that as soon as they began to discuss books, all traces of bashfulness were banished. They bonded over a mutual love of Charles Dickens and Emily Brontë. 

Chapter 1:

As Gertie listened to Betty expound her theory on how every author from Charlotte Brontë to Charles Dickens had improved life, an idea crept into her mind

Chapter 8:

Gertie offered Brontë and Wodehouse, while Hedy brought Droste-Hülshoff and Hesse (...)
Desperate to rouse Hedy from the doldrums, she tried to offer solace in the only way she knew.
“Jane Eyre,” she said, sliding her own treasured volume across the kitchen table toward Hedy one evening. “It brought me comfort when I needed it most. It still does, in truth.”  (...)

Her face lit up when she saw Gertie. “I finished Jane Eyre,” she said. “She is the best heroine I have ever read. She even learns to speak German.” (...)

“Villette,” said Hedy, pulling a small blue volume from the paper. “Thank you, Gertie.”

“I know how much you enjoyed Jane Eyre, so I thought you might like to try another by Charlotte Brontë.”

Chapter 9
Lilian slid a copy of The Tenant of Wildfell Hall toward her daughter. “It won’t be easy,” she said. “Seismic change never is. But it will be worth it in the end. Never lose that indignant spark, Gertie.”

Chapter 10:
There is no happiness like that of being loved by your fellow creatures, and feeling that your presence is an addition to their comfort. —Charlotte Brontë, Jane Eyre (...)
Business was brisk that morning. “We’re going to need to stock up on Brontë and Dickens,” Gertie told Betty. (...)
“So what should we choose for our first book?” asked Betty.
“Jane Eyre,” said Hedy, smiling at Gertie. “We have to start with Jane Eyre.” (...)
“Good morning, girls,” said Gertie, looking up from the counter. “What did you think of Jane Eyre?”
The pair exchanged glances. “We didn’t really think Jane should have gone back to Mr. Rochester. He was far too cross,” said Sylvie.
“Terribly cross,” agreed Rosaline. “Although that St. John chap was a complete bore, so she couldn’t stay with him either.”
“True,” said Sylvie. “But Jane’s a good egg, and Mother said she’d never seen us so quiet during the blackouts, so she’s sent us in to ask what’s next.”

Chapter 13

Gertie was grateful for their kindness but had no real desire to do anything except stay in bed and reread Jane Eyre. It was the only thing that seemed to console her, allowing her mind to bask in earlier, happier times when Harry was alive and the world shimmered with hope. 

Chapter 14

Gertie stepped forward and pushed open the soot-cloaked door. “They’re still here,” she whispered. It was like walking into a room of old friends. She spied Jane Eyre, Bertie Wooster, David Copperfield, Monsieur Poirot, the March daughters. 

Chapter 19

Time brought resignation, and a melancholy sweeter than common joy. —Emily Brontë, Wuthering Heights (...)

“Can we talk about Wuthering Heights, please?” said Ethel Wise, turning to Gertie after Mrs. Herbert had gone.

“Ooh yes, it was a good choice, Mrs. Bingham,” said Emily. “I’d happily get lost on the moors with Heathcliff.”

“Miss Farthing. Please!” scolded Margery.

“Sorry, Mrs. Fortescue.”

“You see I was a bit confused,” said Ethel slowly.

“How so?” asked Gertie.

“Well, there were so many characters, and they all had the same name.”

“There’s Catherine Earnshaw, and she has a daughter called Cathy,” said Cynthia, sitting up straighter in her chair. She had become a regular contributor to their book club discussions, and Gertie was invariably grateful for her vast literary knowledge.

“Is she the one who loves Heathcliff?”

“No. It’s Catherine who loves Heathcliff.”

“Oh, and so is Cathy their daughter?”

“No. Catherine marries Edgar Linton. Cathy is their daughter.”

“I see. So Heathcliff doesn’t marry?”

“He does. He marries Edgar’s sister, Isabella Linton, and they have a son called Linton Heathcliff. He marries Cathy.”

Ethel’s brow was knitted into the deepest frown as she struggled to keep up. “So Heathcliff does marry Cathy?”

Cynthia threw a pleading look toward the others.

“It’s Heathcliff’s son who marries Catherine’s daughter, but then his son dies and she marries Hareton Earnshaw,” explained Hedy.

“And who on earth is he?”

“He’s the son of Catherine’s brother, Hindley.”

Ethel threw up her hands. “It’s too complicated. Why couldn’t the author give them different names like Jim or Peg or Ethel?”

Hedy laughed. “I’m not sure, but did you enjoy it?”

“Oh yes,” said Ethel. “It was a super yarn.”

Chapter 20

Gertie turned to see Margery holding out a plate. “Thank you. How are you?”

“Never been happier, my dear Gertie. By the way, I meant to tell you. I read Jane Eyre.”

Gertie stared at her. “Margery Fortescue read a book.”

“Margery Travers if you please,” she said with a smile. “Well, you know how Gerald loves to read, and you said it was a good story.”

“And? What did you think?”

Margery gave an approving nod. “I admire Jane’s backbone. She’d make a jolly fine recruit for the WVS.”

Chapter 21:

Little by little, Hedy’s health began to improve. Gertie visited every day, bringing more books. They read Jane Austen, John Steinbeck, Emily and Charlotte Brontë, and, at Uncle Thomas’s insistence, Charles Dickens.