This was a really interesting story with genuine and well-rounded characters. I find a story hard to get into if the characters are deficient or lacking substance and I did not have that issue with this book. The author’s vivid descriptions made me feel like I was in Halifax when I’ve never been there.

The absolute best compliment I can give this author is to say that I cried without abandon while reading this book. I usually try not to cry (for many reasons) when I’m reading so I often fly through the truly emotional bits but I really wanted to take in every bit of this story so I kept my pacing even in the bits I knew I’d cry at.

I had never heard about the tragic events that befell Nova Scotia in 1917. Why don’t they teach this in Canadian history classes? It was fascinating and devastating to hear about this event through this fictional story. I may have to go look up the facts of the incident now.

Give this one a read, I’m sure you’ll enjoy it.

This is an historical fiction novel based on the 1917 Halifax explosion, which was the largest man-made explosion before the atomic bomb. It is about two young woman, one a nurse and another a young widowed mother. I learned more about the events and the book also prompted further research into the tragedy, something I love about this genre. I really enjoyed the story and the strong female characters. The resilience of the Halifax residents living through the war, the explosion and the Spanish Flu was well captured by the author and I couldn't help but wonder how today's generation would manage. Thanks to NetGalley for the digital ARC. 4.5/5

When The World Fell Silent is a heartwarming story set in the aftermath of one of Canada's greatest tragedies - The Halifax Explosion. In 1917, it was the largest human-made explosion to date and was instigated by one ship colliding with another that held explosives which ignited, decimating the Canadian port city and claiming the lives of 2000 people and injuring thousands more.

The book begins strong with dramatic descriptions of the lead up and aftermath of the explosion which puts readers right in the middle of the devastation. The explosion falls to the background for the remainder of the book as the two female protagonists, and how their lives have suddenly changed, take the reigns.

Nora is a skilled nurse who excels at her job, and she doesn't plan to settle down into 'domestic bliss' like so many other young women. Charlotte is a young war widow and new mother who struggles living with her verbally abusive in-laws and wants a better life for her and her daughter. Life takes drastic turns for both women who are forced into situations they never could have imagined. But despite their different circumstances, their voices tended to blend together on the page, so I was glad their names were included at the start of each chapter.

This is a quiet, somber story with a couple of twists and a satisfyingly predictable (if a tad contrived) ending. Readers who enjoy 'clean' reads will swoon at the sweet (no spice) romance and the topics raised and the attention to a lesser-known historical event make an excellent book club selection for readers who enjoy lighter Historical Fiction.

Well-researched and based on real people and historical events, When The World Fell Silent blends intense descriptions of the explosion with a compassionate look at how the event impacted the lives of two women as they traverse love, loss, trauma and finding the tenacity to carry on.

Disclaimer: My sincere thanks to Harper Collins UK for the advanced digital copy of this book which was given in exchange for my honest review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
What an incredible debut! If you love historical fiction, you definitely need to pick this one up. It’s about the Halifax harbour explosion in 1917. The story is told from the POV of two women who are seemingly unconnected until an unforgettable turn of events brings them together in the most unexpected way. It’s about resilience and moving forward in the face of trauma.

Well done @donnaalward 👏🏻

Thank you to @harpercollinsca and #netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. 🥰

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Thank you NetGalley and Harper Collins Canada for the advanced copy of this book. I absolutely enjoyed it. It had so many of the classic historical fiction tropes that I like without being a carbon copy of other historical fiction books. Nora was a wonderful character that you could relate to even though her circumstances were truly her own. I liked Neil a lot and the children were delightful characters too. The Canadian setting was a breath of fresh air and made me want to visit the places Nora was, even the town of Chester - which is a real place! Great story, great writing, it had me flipping pages and reading just one more chapter!

With the war going strong across the ocean in 1917, Halifax was rocked by an explosion that divested the city in a split second. Nora, a nurse, is working nearby when the injured start pouring into the hospital. She spends the next several days caring for those injured in the blast only to find out that the loss of life has hit her own family as well. Also in the hospital recovering is Charlotte, a war window who is missing her daughter from the blast. Their lives are intertwined that day and forever changed.

This book was really good and it was nice to have purely the Canadian side of the war. Reading in depth about the Halifax explosion was devastating. So many were affected from that day and it completely changed the city as a whole. Of the two storylines, I really enjoyed Nora the most. She had the most growth as a character.

Thank you to Netgalley, HarperCollins Canada and One More Chapter for the ARC of this book.

I raced through this book quite quickly - if my schedule had permitted I likely would have completed it in one go, but I didn't love it. I enjoyed the fresh perspective of the Explosion as I can only think of one other novel that dealt with what the medical professionals went through in the aftermath. I would have liked more historical details (how the warm fall day of early December followed by a major blizzard challenged recovery, how incredibly far away the blast was felt - dishes broke in my grandparents house 200 km away - how it would have been worse had Vince Coleman not stopped the train and how many advances were made in eye care as a result), but maybe I'm just being picky. I'll sell lots of this book to my historical fiction loving customers and those who cannot resist a local story.

I loved this book. Its about hope and strength during the worst of times. If your interested in historical fiction then you need to read this book.

Thanks netgalley and harper Collins Canada. All thoughts and opinions are my own

“Hunker down and get at ‘er”

I appreciated this historical fiction debut by a Canadian author and set in Canada! Alward shares homefront stories centered around the 1917 Halifax Explosion - the largest man-made explosion until the atom bomb. A munitions ship destined for Europe exploded in the Halifax harbour killing nearly 2000 and injuring 9000 more. It left a whole section of the city demolished and thousands homeless.

Alward's story follows two young women, a war widow and mother, Charlotte Campbell, and a CANC ‘bluebird’ nurse, Nora Crowell, and shows readers how their lives became connected in the most shocking and devastating way.

Twenty-three-year-old Nora joins the Canadian Army Medical Corp as a nurse and rises to Lieutenant. She witnesses soldiers’ pain and struggles daily and, believing nobody is beyond help, she pushes herself to tend to them and their wounds. Readers are aware of her hopeless despair. Not only does she battle fatigue and a sense of futility, but frustration at serving at home instead of overseas … especially with Ally, her boyfriend, overseas fighting, and a secret that she needs to keep hidden.

Charlotte is stuck between a rock and a hard place after losing her husband at The Somme, living with spiteful and resentful in-laws, and raising baby Aileen alone. Alward was able to show me how devastating it was to lose everything and have nobody to rely on. I understood what it must feel like to be holding onto hope for the sake of a child despite wanting to give up. I had a fresh appreciation for those who go through life just going through the motions. I knew at the 25% mark that I had to keep reading to find out what happened after the explosion.

You need to read this story about loss, love, hope, and redemption against all odds. It’s the 107th anniversary this year of this tragedy and Alward's examination of choices and how her characters navigated this tragedy is a compelling read.

I’m looking forward to the next book, ‘The Coldest Night,’ which will be a Titanic-set historical fiction novel also with a Nova Scotia connection.

I was gifted this copy by Harper Collins Canada and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.