Skip to main content
PBS logo
 
 

Book Review of A Town Like Alice

A Town Like Alice
A Town Like Alice
Author: Nevil Shute
Genre: Literature & Fiction
Book Type: Paperback
Jerseygirltoo avatar reviewed on + 453 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1


A fascinating book, which I think is based on true historic events. Part of it takes place during the Japanese occupation of Malaysia in World War II, with a group of British women who are prisoners of war. The second part of the book takes place years later, in Australia, when one of the women again meets up with a man who tried to help the prisoners, who she thought had died during the war.
The author uses a very clever narrative device, the book's POV is via the heroine's lawyer who is helping her reconnect with her wartime past.
One warning, this book exhibits outdated racial attitudes toward Australian Aboriginal people. I guess it's true to life for the era. Interestingly, the depictions of Malay people, who are also non-white, was more enlightened.
If you like wartime sagas, you'll definitely want to read it.