Book Blurb:
"Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows."
Anfield Stadium, Liverpool, England. Home ground of the Liverpool Football Club. And place of remembrance for the victims of one of the worst football disasters in British history.
South Africa, 1899-1900. A bitter war rages between Britain and the Boer republics of the Transvaal and the Free State. Boer commandos lay siege to towns in British-controlled Natal. The British Army must fight to relieve them.
But first they must reach them, marching into hostile terrain against an enemy with unrivalled marksmanship skills, and travelling on horseback.
Both sides target Spionkop, a hill rising from the Natal plains - destined to be christened 'an acre of massacre' by watching reporter, Winston Churchill; and to find its name gracing one of the most famous football stands in the world; Anfield's The Kop.
South Africa 2015. Liverpool football fans Jimmy, Sarah, and Des travel to South Africa to commemorate the Hillsborough Disaster, where they discover more than they expect - about the distant past, and about themselves.
Book Buy Link: https://geni.us/J52RZ
Author Bio:
I am a British ex-pat who has lived in South Africa for nearly as long as in England. I have exchanged squirrels in the garden for monkeys; the caw of crows with the terrified-seeming cry of the hadeda ibis. I swelt under a hot summer sun, rather than shiver in the freezing rain.
And it is here, under a wide-open sky, that I have begun to write, in response to a call from Jesus to ‘write what I see in a book’.
And so the journey has begun, seeing and writing. I trust the eyes of your heart will be opened to see with me as you read.
Anna Jensen xx
Editorial Review:
““Come on, Tina. The game’s about to start. What are you doing?” A splosh of water and a sigh. Mam appeared in the doorway between the sitting room and kitchen wiping soapy hands on the front of her flowered apron. The smell of fried eggs, chips, and lemon-scented washing up liquid wafted into the room with her. Her permed, bottle-blonde hair clung in tight curls to her forehead, victim of her after-dinner exertions. Brown eyes flicked from one person to the next. Jimmy avoided her gaze, his attention returning to the blurred images moving on the television screen.”
This all sounds so innocent, so normal, British life at its best. Jimmy is keen to watch the game. The game here is soccer (in Britain: football). Even better. Perhaps there are some chips left over, to have— But that was before. Before we recognise the date that starts the prologue – 15 April 1989. Before we see that Jimmy and his family are watching TV in Liverpool, eager to see their hometown team in action in Sheffield. Before the horror and the chaos and the tragedy that is now simply known as “Hillsborough”, where a football game descended into a national disaster with shockwaves that echo in society even now. The recounting of this disaster from the viewpoint of the unsuspecting family at home is vivid and an emotionally difficult read, whether or not the reader is familiar with events.
But that is not the only surprise the reader will find in “Remembered Lives”. Jensen has written an absorbing dual timeline novel, with intersecting characters. The book is set around the stories of three men – Jimmy, Percy and Wilhelm. Percy is an English man fighting the Anglo-Boer War in Africa. Wilhelm is from South Africa, fighting for South Africa’s freedom in the same war. Percy and Wilhelm are embroiled in warfare around the year 1900. Meanwhile, modern-day Jimmy (surely 1989 wasn’t thirty-five years ago?), is now married. He takes a holiday to South Africa with his wife and friend in 2015. From there, events converge, and this reviewer is firmly entrenched in the storyline, with mention of family heirlooms, friendships forged in war, and family mysteries.
Jensen’s understanding of both British life, and early-1900s warfare, is detailed and convincing to the reader. The extent of research she has undertaken is evident in the realism of this story. Both British and South-African history are integral to the narrative. There are also religious/Biblical themes.
“This was it. This was the commissioning before war. Wilhelm closed his eyes. He breathed in perfume and dust and men’s nervous sweat. His fingers traced the knots and whorls on the wooden bench in front of him. A coucal chattered its call from the tree outside, heralding rain. He slit open one eye, risking another glance at Katryn. Her belt at her waist accentuated her figure. As though aware he watched her, her hand smoothed her skirt, and a dusky blush coloured her neck.”
The storyline (and ending) is incredibly poignant. The narrative ranges from the peacetime tragedy of Hillsborough to death and loss in one of the Anglo-Boer Wars bloodiest battles – Spionkop (also known as Spion Kop). The character arcs of all three men are well-planned, and developed in an authentic way. Of course there are secondary characters, but the focus remains primarily on the three men. The wartime friendships that are forged under fire are a particularly emotional part of the storyline (among many others!). “Remembered Lives” is a relatively lengthy book, and Jensen writes about each main character for several chapters, before changing to another. As a result some readers may find they need time to settle into the “new story” and a different character’s perspective.
“Beyond, a gentle plateau flattened out. The rain had eased off, leaving in its wake a dense, swirling mist. In the pre-dawn fade from pitch black to darkest blue, Percy made out a few shapes ranged along the ridge. He paused, arching his back, massaging his aching spine with balled fists. The man with him sank to his knees. “Looks like we’re in the right place. I’m going in search of my company.” Percy gave his companion a prod with the toe of his boot. “C’mon, you’ve come this far. You need to join your men.””
“Remembered Lives” by Anna Jensen takes the reader through disaster and warfare to weave an emotional tale of loss and discovery. At first glance the extent of any connection between Hillsborough and the Anglo-Boer War may not be immediately evident, but Jensen had told a cohesive story where both the modern (yes, this reviewer is referring to 1989!) and the historical narratives are developed as equal aspects of the story, with each character’s personality and actions being accurate for the relevant times. A moving and sentimental read – readers who are prone to “having something in their eye” will need to keep the tissues close at hand!
*****
"Remembered Lives” by Anna Jensen receives 4 stars from The Historical Fiction Company
To have your historical novel editorially reviewed and/or enter the HFC Book of the Year contest, please visit www.thehistoricalfictioncompany.com/book-awards/award-submission
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