Stevie‘s review of Rose and the Burma Sky by Rosanna Amaka
Multicultural Historical Romance published by Doubleday 23 Feb 23
I’ve always been interested in the roles played by Black and Asian soldiers (as well as those from other under-represented groups) in the major world conflicts, so this book was a good fit for me, particularly after enjoying Rosanna Amaka’s previous novel. Obi grows up in the same village in Nigeria as Rose, whose family is higher in status than Obi’s, and comes to increasingly admire her strength of personality following the death of his mother in the ‘Women’s War’ of 1929.
After Rose and some of Obi’s male friends leave the village to continue their education, Obi decides to make something of himself by joining the army. Soon, war is looming overseas, and Obi’s friends must decide whether to join him or to find ways to avoid conscription and protect their families in other ways. Returning home for a funeral, Obi encounters Rose again and discovers that she is pregnant by a man who refuses to marry her. Obi offers to marry Rose in order to protect her reputation, and Rose reluctantly agrees, although she does not reciprocate Obi’s feelings for her.
Following the birth of her child, Rose longs to do more than stay at home, and trains as a nurse, alongside one of her friends. Obi stays in touch with both her and her family, and their marriage-in-name-only seems to be developing into a closer relationship when tragedy strikes, and Obi’s life is once again turned upside down.
Posted to Burma with the rest of his regiment, Obi endures great hardships, making new friends only to lose them to the conflict. By chance he also learns more about Rose’s life in the times they were apart and tries to find out what really happened to her in the days and hours before their lives were ripped apart.
It’s hard to review this book without giving away too much of the plot or the mystery that is central to it. Although classified on Amazon as a romance, I feel that it’s more of a love story; Obi’s actions are motivated by his love for Rose, but there is no romance novel happy ending. There is closure, however, and we get to follow Obi through his post-war life and see him slowly come to terms with everything that happened to him and his friends.
This was a fascinating insight into sections of history I knew little about and makes me keen to learn more.
Grade: A
Summary:
One war, one soldier, one enduring love
1939: In a village in south-east Nigeria on the brink of the Second World War, young Obi watches from a mango tree as a colonial army jeep speeds by, filled with soldiers laughing and shouting, their buttons shining in the sun. To Obi, their promise of a smart uniform and regular wages is hard to resist, especially as he has his sweetheart Rose to impress and a family to support.
Years later, when Rose falls pregnant to another man, his heart is shattered. As the Burma Campaign mounts, and Obi is shipped out to fight, he is haunted by the mystery of Rose’s lover. When his identity comes to light, Obi’s devastation leads to a tragic chain of unexpected events.
Read an excerpt.
