Review: In Farleigh Field

In Farleigh Field: A Novel of World War II by Rhys Bowen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

In Farleigh Field turned out to be a very different read to what I had been anticipating. There is absolutely nothing wrong when such a thing happens, though, especially when I come to have a lot of fun with the book.

Most World War Two books I have read in the past have been of the high-octane, endless action variety. They pull you in from the start and every moment is filled with tension and suspense. Whilst In Farleigh Field takes a number of aspects from such books – spies, double agents, questionable characters, and mystery, to name a few – it doesn’t feel like many of the other historical fiction books I have read in this time period. It is a much lighter read, a cosy read in comparison to most.

Therefore, you should know in advance that this is not a heart-stopping mission through enemy territory. Rather, this is a much lighter read looking at the dynamics back home.

In fact, this story almost felt as though it could have fit any time period. The story was one that could have worked in a variety of ways; all that was needed was for the specific time period to be selected so that the necessary references could be made. Note, I’m not pointing this out as a flaw: I’m merely making an observation. It is one of those situations that can easily be twisted to tell a variety of tales, yet you’re getting no complaints about the way in which this one was told. It worked wonderful in the time it was set, giving us a cast of great characters against a wonderful backdrop.

From the start we’re pulled into the story, curious to see how things will play out. I admit that certain things were obvious from the get-go, but the specifics left me curious as to certain aspects of the story. Yes, I knew one of the people involved; but I knew there were more, and it was these others I was interested in puzzling out. Moreover, I was curious to see how all the deception would come together, as everyone in the story had something to hide. Whenever everyone is keeping the truth close to their chest, you know it’s only a matter of time until facts start to slip free, and I wanted to see what would happen when people started to find out about their close friends and relatives.

After all, this story was more about the dynamics of the characters than it was about the mystery. Yes, the mystery was fun; but what really held my attention was the way in which the characters were interacting. I quickly came to love the characters and wanted to know more about them, turning page after page so that I could see what happened next in their lives. I really was pulled in deep, completely immersed in their world. Honestly, the characters were so much fun. We have such a great cast, we follow so many interesting characters, and it was wonderful to see how everything came together for them all.

Just as a quick note, though, I wish to make a small point. There were some times where the wording used jarred with the time. For those who read a lot of historical fiction, such will disappoint them. It’s not often that this happens, but it can be seen. Those who don’t read all that much of the genre, I cannot imagine it will be quite so off putting. Nevertheless, every so often it happened and it disappointed me. It was only small things, but it was enough to pull me out of the story for a moment.

Overall, though, I had so much fun with this one. It was a wonderful read, light and addictive throughout, pulling me into the world and refusing to let go. It’s certainly worth the read if you enjoy cosy historical fiction.

As a final note, I would like to thank the publisher for contacting me for a review. I really appreciate being given the chance to advance read this one!

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