The Chilbury Ladies' Choir by Jennifer Ryan

Set in 1940 in a small English village of Chilbury, whose occupants notice effects of war through shortages of food and men disappearing into unknown. And those who come back are “the cripples, the amputees, and the ones so disturbed they’d never sleep soundly again.” To keep their spirits up and the normality of life, the women of the village create all women choir with encouragement of a new music tutor. She convinces the Vicar to continue the choir with women only.

The story is being told through journal, letters and diary. Mrs. Tilling “starts a journal, so that I can express the things I don’t want to say out loud.” Her son leaves for the front in France. When he is gone, she makes his room available to a colonel who is in need of a roof over his head. She doesn’t like the colonel, but with encouragement of the new music teacher, she gives it a chance to get to know the colonel better before setting a judgement. As they get to know each other, she sees that they have a lot in common. As she grieves the devastation of war, she notices one positive outcome. “It has given us everyday women a voice – dared us to stand up for ourselves, and to stand up for others.”

Miss Edwina Paltry, midwife, reveals her story through letters to her sister Clara. She is bought with money to switch babies at birth, only if it’s a boy. She and some other characters at the beginning sound pretty deranged. But as the characters reveal their stories, they become more and more likeable.

My favorite character remains Mrs. Tilling, who through war learns a lot about herself and grows to be a very strong woman. Beautiful character. 

As the story starts, I wasn’t sure what to make of it. But the dry sense of humor keeps the pages turning. And with developing characters, the story exposes a deeper meaning.

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