Signal Moon - Kate Quinn

-

AUTHOR: Kate Quinn

GENRE: Historical fiction, Science Fiction.
RATING: 4.5 stars.

In a Nutshell: My very first Kate Quinn work, and I loved it! Just a short story and yet what lovely character development and writing! I could almost hear and see the characters.

Story Synopsis:
1943, Yorkshire. Lily Baines, the young daughter of a wealthy and well-connected Viscount, has traded in the luxury living to join in the war efforts. She now intercepts naval signals and sends them to Bletchley Park for decryption. One day, she catches a previously unknown signal, which relays to her a horrifying scene. An American ship is being attacked in the North Atlantic, and one officer, Matt Jackson, is narrating all that’s unfurling around him. In addition to feeling helpless, Lily is also shocked and confused over the date that Matt mentions… He is narrating from the year 2023! How can Lily help Matt across the 80-year divide when her communications device is equipped only to receive signals and not to broadcast them?


Where the story worked for me:
😍 Kate Quinn’s ability at developing her characters within just a 57-page story left me stunned. With only two main characters and a few secondary characters, she still manages to let us know why her characters did what they did.

😍 The story evokes a multitude of emotions such as fear, anger, sorrow, courage, surprise, and humour—no mean feat for short fiction.

😍 A great short story begins powerfully, picks up pace as it progresses, and delivers a memorable ending. This was a great short story.

😍 Kate and Matt’s characters are easily the most well-sketched. Each has dialogues where joviality intermingles with tension, which isn’t easy to write.

😍 There are so many beautiful and worrisome moments in this story. Can’t tell you more as I don’t want to go into spoilers.

😍 For the first time ever, I kept putting myself in each of their (Lily’s and Matt’s) places and wondered how I would have reacted. This happens to me while reading full-length novels but never during a short story. I love how it dragged me into its action, thereby increasing the impact.

😍 The author's note at the end is *chef’s kiss!*


Where the story could have worked better for me:
☹ The logical side of me knows that it had the best possible ending. The emotional-fool side of me feels let down by the bittersweet feelings it generated. ‘Ye Dil Maange More’, what to do!


In short, I loved it to the core. What an amazing ode to the legendary Bletchley Park and the young women who played a vital role through their interceptions! Strongly recommended for historical fiction lovers who don’t mind a dash of low-key sci-fi.

This story is free for Amazon Prime Subscribers.

Note: I read somewhere that this story is set in the world of ‘The Rose Code’ by the same author. I haven’t yet read this novel, but I didn’t feel like I missed out on understanding ‘Signal Moon’ because of this.

Comments

Post a Comment

Explore more posts from this blog:

Violent Advents: A Christmas Horror Anthology - Edited by L. Stephenson - ★★★.¼

-
Image
  EDITOR: L. Stephenson GENRE: Christmas Horror Anthology PUBLICATION DATE:  December 12, 2024 RATING: 3.3 stars. In a Nutshell: A short-fiction anthology filled with Christmassy horror. Some really good stories here, though I wish there had been more variety in the “source of the evil.” A good option for those who are fed up of saccharine seasonal stories. This is the time of the year when readers are torn between spooky season and Christmas season. Here's a book that combines both. 😉 This indie anthology contains twenty-six stories by twenty-six writers. There’s no editor’s note, but the title and the tagline make the theme clear – it is a “Christmas horror” anthology. The stories are mostly fast-paced, which works well in this genre. After the first few stories, I wondered why a majority of them were using the Christmas tree as the horror device-of-choice. It occurred frequently enough for me to start eyeing every Christmas tree in the stories suspiciously. Only after...
Read More»

The Little Christmas Library - David M. Barnett - ★★★★.¼

-
Image
AUTHOR: David M. Barnett GENRE: Contemporary Fiction PUBLICATION DATE: October 10, 2024 RATING: 4.25 stars. In a Nutshell: A character-oriented contemporary fiction with a strong Christmas spirit and a dash of Christmas magic. Excellent characters and a well-connected narrative linking them all. True to contemporary times in every way. Might get a bit too sugary, but works well for the genre. A fabulous and heartwarming option for the festive season. Plot Preview: When Molly McGinley moves from London to her Northern hometown of Merry-le-Moors, she feels like an utter failure. Ten years in the big city, and all she has to show is a broken relationship and no job. Her widower dad Jack is more than happy to have his daughter home, especially as he is still missing his wife who passed away a decade back. Jack now whiles away his time driving the town’s mobile library and he insists that Molly accompany him on his rounds instead of moping alone at home. As the two take the library bus t...
Read More»

Somebody I Used to Know - Wendy Mitchell - ★★★★.¼

-
Image
AUTHOR: Wendy Mitchell GENRE: Memoir PUBLICATION DATE: June 5, 2018 RATING: 4.25 stars. In a Nutshell: The memoir of a woman who unexpectedly became the face of young-onset Alzheimer’s in the UK. Ghost-written with the help of a journalist, this book covers her diagnosis, reaction, coping strategies, everyday experiences, and her plans for the future.. The writing is filled with pain and frustration as well as hope. Much recommended. Do note that it might be triggering for Alzheimer’s patients and also caregivers. A reading challenge I am participating in needed a book penned by a ghost-writer. I was very clear that I didn’t want to opt for any celebrity memoir, most of which are sanitised fake versions of their lives. Nor did I want to try fictional novels that straddled the line between pseudonymous and ghost-written. ( The Nancy Drew series, for instance. ) Google led me to Wendy Mitchell’s memoir. One look at this book’s blurb, and I knew I finally found the right option for the...
Read More»

Making Up the Gods - Marion Agnew - ★★★★.¼

-
Image
AUTHOR: Marion Agnew GENRE: Contemporary Fiction PUBLICATION DATE: October 15, 2023 RATING: 4.25 stars. In a Nutshell: An indie drama with some quirky characters and a great setting in Lake Superior, Canada. Mellow in tone, genuine in content, thought-provoking in themes. I enjoyed this unusual novel. Plot Preview: Simone, almost 70, is a retired widow who lives an isolated life in her cottage on the banks of Lake Superior and still misses her husband, though he’s been dead for five years. While she is now active in her local church and finds solace in baking for those grieving, she is fiercely protective of her privacy. But when the local reverend asks her to take care of nine-year-old Chen while his widowed mother goes on a much-needed trip, Simone finds it tough to refuse a fellow-mourning widow. Just before Chen arrives, a stranger named Martin knocks at Simone’s door, claiming to be her cousin. Simone is suddenly handling two strangers at once, and she worries that they will dis...
Read More»

Dropseed: The Story of Three Sad Women - Nettie Magnan - ★★★

-
Image
AUTHOR: Nettie Magnan GENRE: Literary Fiction PUBLICATION DATE: June 30, 2024 RATING: 3 stars. In a Nutshell: A literary fiction about three women and their individual struggles. Great nature imagery and intriguing flawed characters, but too overwritten for my liking. Readers who like descriptive prose and don’t mind meandering storytelling are bound to enjoy this better. I was the wrong reader for this book. So please take this review with a pinch of salt. Plot Preview: Sally is a frustrated middle-aged ex-artist who is tired of the monotony of her life. Now with the added task of caring for her ailing mother, Sally seeks a change, but can she do so at the cost of her responsibilities? Mary, Sally’s mother, is not happy about how she has been reduced to complete dependence because of her illness. Her crankiness is often a cover for her frustration and her regrets. Is it too late for her to find peace? Beth, Mary’s caretaker, knows she has a tough patient, but even handling Mary is b...
Read More»