Book Review: ‘Voices Under the Rising Sun’

This book is called ‘Voices Under the Rising Sun’ by Fiona Hodgkins and was illustrated by Yolanda McKean. The genre is historical fiction and really shows you what life in Malaya and Singapore was like in World War 2.

At the start of the book, the story is set in a house next to a papaya plantation but later on the setting is in a jungle in Bahau.

The books is about three children called Mary, Charlie and Rosie who tell about their lives during World War 2 by letters, diary entries and other documents. They write about their experiences with each other and living in a jungle so far away from home.

The part of the book that I most enjoyed was the part when Charlie pushed Mary into the ditch near the papaya plantation because it reminds me of my brother and me when we fight. My favourite character is Charlie because he is naughty but in sad times he brings out a little humour and turns them into good times.

This books was really interesting because it isn’t just taking you on an adventure through a story, it is taking you on an adventure through history. I would highly recommend this book to people of any age!

Lily aged 12 TTS, Singapore June 2016