Requiem For A Wren is a 1955 novel from one of my favourite authors, Nevil Shute.
I am attracted to wartime novels and I luckily stumbled upon this story of a capable young woman working in the Women's Royal Naval Service (WRNS, nicknamed 'Wrens') and the men who admired her.
Injured naval officer Alan Duncan returns home to Australia, where he finds the family housekeeper has surprisingly committed suicide. There is no information why or trace of her past, but there is a connection no one knows. Thinking back over the past few years in the Navy, he recalls when his brother Bill disappeared on a secret naval mission, and Bill's heartbroken fiancee whom he only met briefly. Before returning home, Alan had begun to investigate what became of her as he travelled through London and San Fransisco en route to Australia. Here the narration shifts to 20-year old Janet describing her first meeting with Bill, and focusing on her outstanding skills - as a WREN she was tasked with gun maintenance, but stood out for her expert shooting skills when under attack. Her story covers much of the same ground as the first part, told through her eyes.
The way the two stories intersect is well done and it's a solid read. Wistful with a hint of what could have been but for no reason other than an imagined slight, was never going to be. I find Shute's novels authentically 'bring me right back' to a time I was never in. It's a sincerity and respect for the characters I find appealing. This might seem dated, but I recommend it as a classic war-time love story.
My other reviews for Nevil Shute:
1955 / Tradeback / 250 pages
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