The Doyle family are Irish. They live in Dublin. And Lizzie Doyle is growing up during the period of the Second World War.
Actually, the Republic of Ireland was neutral during the War but that did not mean that life was easy in Dublin. There were severe shortages of basic foodstuffs during The Emergency, as it was known. Many thousands of Irish men and women fought against the German Reich, either joining the British armed forces to do so, or crossing over to Britain to help with war work in the industrial centres.
If you were living in London things were worse. During the Blitz in 1940/1 many thousands of ordinary Londoners were killed. Small wonder that Lizzie's Auntie Sissy decided that Dublin was the place for her only daughter, Victoria.
Lizzie and Vicky are cousins. They are both about ten when Vicky comes to stay:
But when I saw her standing there, an ugly black rubber gas-mask hitting off her knobbly knees, her cardboard suitcase secured with string tightly clutched to her, a big label around her neck with her name written on it, my heart sank. An overwhelming sense of betrayal was my strongest emotion as I watched this skinny waif with huge eyes hollowed out of a skeletal face. How could I introduce this miserable girl with lanky hair and dressed in a raggy school uniform to the gang as my cousin Victoria from London?
You'll be surprised how well Vicky settles in with the Doyle family and life in Dublin. Vicky hasn't really experienced proper family life before, and loves it. Lizzie and Vicky are very different people, but although they have their arguments, the strongest of bonds is forged between them. They disagree over friends, and fall in love with the same young man, and all the time they are growing up, the War is casting its shadow over their future paths.
I loved this book! Highly recommended.
What do you think about ‘Daisy Chain War’?
Eleanor, girl, age 14, from Geneva, Switzerland, on 18th June 2007. Rating: 10/10
I loved these books. I thought it had a really great story line and a great sense of reality. it's great to see it through it through the eyes of a young girl. I also loved it because it is'nt just about Hitler. It's also about the girl's life. Some parts made me so emotional i cried. It is great when Joan O'neill writes her views over bullying and romance. It has a great balance of everything. Friendship, romance, adventure, real life situations. I have read the other books and could not (literally) take my eyes off them. If you have not read this book, you have not lived yet.
Bre Edwards, girl, age 13, from NSW(Wahroonga), Australia, on 7th June 2006. Rating: 8/10
This book was great because it got you greatly involved in the story. As the story deepend it became more enthrawling and exciting. I can certainly reccomend this book to everyone!
Molly c, girl, age 11, from Dublin, Ireland, on 13th March 2006. Rating: 10/10
I thought this book was brilliant!!!!!!!!I love the way Joan wrote it so it feels as if you're Lizzie and living in the 1930's/1940's.You can only rate this book out of 10 but I rate it out of 10000.I give it 10000/10000.I recommened this book to nearly anyone.I've read all four books and hope Joan'll write a fifth book!!
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If you enjoy this book, there's more! It is the first book of a trilogy:
If you would like to read about life as an evacuee, you might enjoy either of these by Michelle Magorian:
If you really enjoy a story about growing up, you could look at this classic by Jean Webster:
Or this present day story by Gaye Hicyilmaz about a Romanian refugee:
This moving book by Theresa Breslin is about growing up during the First World War. Nothing much changes:
