Book Review: Their Finest by Lissa Evans

Title: Their Finest
Author: Lissa Evans
Publisher: Black Swan
Publication Date: 2017 (2009)
Pages: 413
Format: Paperback
Genre: Historical Fiction
Source: Won in a Giveaway

 

It's 1940. In a small advertising agency in Soho, Catrin Cole writes snappy lines for Vida Elastic and So-Bee-Fee gravy browning. But the nation is in peril, all skills are transferable and there's a place in the war effort for those who have a knack with words.

Catrin is conscripted into the world of propaganda films. After a short spell promoting the joy of swedes for the Ministry of Food, she finds herself writing dialogue for 'Just an Ordinary Wednesday', a heart-warming but largely fabricated 'true story' about rescue and romance on the beaches of Dunkirk. And as bombs start to fall on London, she discovers that there's just as much drama, comedy and passion behind the scenes as there is in front of the camera. (Goodreads Synopsis)


I won this book in a giveaway hosted by my local cinema, after having watched and enjoyed the new film version. It was easy, pleasant reading, and I was interested to see which parts the film had retained and which it had discarded. Overall, I would say the screenwriters made good choices. This is a story that treads a careful line between serious drama and light humour, and, on the whole, it succeeds in striking a balance. There are poignant moments, but there are also scenes that make you smile. I would recommend this story for readers who are seeking something on the lighter side of historical fiction.