Prepare to be chilled by the latest gorgeously evocative wartime ghost story by Dan Smith with stunning atmospheric cover illustration by Matthew Land. The novel is richly written and there are many descriptive passages worth lingering over and sharing.

Matthew Land Illustrates Historical Fiction for Chicken House

Whilst Nisha faces prejudice due to her Anglo-Indian heritage, she also forms some wonderful friendships, especially with a young boy, Jamie, who she meets whilst on a visit to the nearby village. When I was a teenager, my brother and I used to spend days at a time, adventuring along the Araguaia River in Brazil. I wasn’t alive in 1941 (I’m not THAT old) so I wasn’t part of the evacuation, but I found lots of photographs and some excellent first-hand accounts of people who had fled in convoys through Malaya to reach Singapore in the hope that they would be safe. Jamie helped Nisha snatch the key for the secret room in which Mrs Barrow insisted it was to be kept locked and untouched. Nisha is an incredibly sympathetic character whose life in Malaya is revealed through extracts from her ‘Truths’, a series of diary entries which tell of her life in Malaya and her traumatic escape from Singapore, haunted by her own ghosts which follow her to her new home.I also thoroughly enjoyed Elizabeth’s backstory and the big plot twist that came with it, which I didn’t expect at all and I’m sure other readers didn’t. Furthermore, I really enjoyed the fact that the book included people’s accents in their speech through different word variations so their voices and characters are really shown through the fantastic writing. It talks about what it must have been like back then, when new refugees with mixed skin weren’t as accepted in society as they are now. It has very interesting concepts and the mysterious fantasy part of the book is extremely intriguing and hooks you into the book, whilst adding lots of historical aspects that makes it feel as if you are really experiencing it.

Nisha’s War,’ by Dan Smith. – Library Girl and Blog tour: ‘Nisha’s War,’ by Dan Smith. – Library Girl and

In haunting hues of blue Matthew’s beguiling wrap-around cover illustration instantly draws the reader in to this enchanting thriller.The story begins after Nisha and her mother arrive at the train station; Mr Foster takes them to their new home. The time, setting and themes of the book really appealed to me and although I didn't have a finished manuscript to read, I had a strong idea of what the cover was going to look like, I just had to somehow get that down onto the page, and make it pretty!

Nisha’s War — Through the Bookshelf Nisha’s War — Through the Bookshelf

I had already visited FortSilosoin Singapore, and taken aLOT of photographs of the artefacts and displays. Dan Smith’s portrayal of how war affects the mental health of young people also provides another fresh angle on a wartime story.

Some of the locals do nothing to hide their dislike and distrust of refugees, and Nisha’s grandmother does not hide her disapproval of Amma as a daughter-in-law, making it very clear that she would have preferred her son to marry a nice English girl. The inclusion of mysterious ghost who sets Nisha a life-or-death challenge is really just the cherry on top of an already delicious cake! It has also given me an insight into the big driving sales and marketing engines of the publishing industry, reinforcing the fact that a book has to sell itself to keep its position on the shelves. The evocation of wartime, of a sense of eeriness and of an isolated island are brilliantly portrayed.

Review: Nisha’s War – Book Craic

The fact that she is ‘different’, coming from Indian/ English parentage, being an ‘outsider’ and having partially lost her hearing due to a bomb blast all add to the wave of prejudice she encounters from many villagers. She tells of her past and about how Nisha reminds her off her sadly passed daughter Elizabeth Barrow, Nisha’s auntie. When her mother falls ill shortly after their arrival, Nisha is left to face her formidable grandmother and racist locals alone.Although the story would make an excellent class story, some of the passages about the war are quite graphic and so the audience would need careful consideration- Year 6 and above- before reading. The atmospheric cover illustration by Matthew Land is sure to tempt readers in and the end papers continue the interest, showing a range of pictures, posters, notes and objects which offer tantalising clues about the story ahead. From my own personal experience with this book, it taught me a lot about overcoming fears and taught me an underrated horrific event in history overlooked and forgotten about.