Helpful Score: 1
Radio Girls by Sarah-Jane Stratford has all the makings of a good read. Fascinating, turbulent history. A strong main character. A little romance. Lots of intrigue. The history is the advent and rise of broadcasting in the turbulent period before World War II and the sociopolitical views of those times. The fiction is a woman's story of self-discovery and growth. The book beautifully weaves the history and fiction such that they are one and the same.
Read my complete review at http://www.memoriesfrombooks.com/2016/06/radio-girls.html
Reviewed for the Penguin First to Read program
Read my complete review at http://www.memoriesfrombooks.com/2016/06/radio-girls.html
Reviewed for the Penguin First to Read program
Helpful Score: 1
Yes, there was a real Hilda Matheson and she was every bit as brave and passionate as the author portrays, perhaps more so. She believed in telling the public the truth, educating people about issues so they understood their world. But Maisie Musgrave was fictional and to this reader she did not seem quite real. The author developed this character to pull the story tighter. There were facts she wanted to use such as Hilda's connection and involvement with MI5 in Italy. When she returned to England, Lady Aster hired Hilda who recognized her intelligence and talent secured a post at the newly established BBC. Hilda became director of Talks developing its programming..
Maisie filled gaps in the story as a secretary for Hilda. It was logical since Hilda had longed for an assistant she could trust to help with research and programming. The relationship between Maisie and Hilda solidified when they realized that there were fascist groups in England working to generate support of German policies. It was a time when many thought that spies were part of the populace but most believed they were Russians. The tale includes romance and discovery of a conspiracy to incur sympathy for Germany. Uncovering the effort. Talks presented findings to the public.
Hilda and her boss, John Reith, held differed regarding BBC programming and conflict escalated. Hilda's progressive approach generated much positive public response that Reith recognized were of value to BBC. Eventually, however, his conservative heart began imposing restrictions on programming and Hilda finally resigned. Very good read.
Maisie filled gaps in the story as a secretary for Hilda. It was logical since Hilda had longed for an assistant she could trust to help with research and programming. The relationship between Maisie and Hilda solidified when they realized that there were fascist groups in England working to generate support of German policies. It was a time when many thought that spies were part of the populace but most believed they were Russians. The tale includes romance and discovery of a conspiracy to incur sympathy for Germany. Uncovering the effort. Talks presented findings to the public.
Hilda and her boss, John Reith, held differed regarding BBC programming and conflict escalated. Hilda's progressive approach generated much positive public response that Reith recognized were of value to BBC. Eventually, however, his conservative heart began imposing restrictions on programming and Hilda finally resigned. Very good read.
I absolutely adored the main character, Maisie Musgrave, who works as a secretary for the BBC radio in the 1920's. She is plucky, strong and filled with humorous thoughts that the reader sees in italics. She works for Hilda Matheson, the director of Talks programming, who mentors Maisie and teaches her the ropes of working for the BBC. There is a subplot involving spying by Maisie which takes the intrigue and suspense up a notch. And of course, there is a little romance sprinkled in. All of which makes for a truly delightful read.
