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Poppy #2
Poppy in the Field
When Poppy learns that the love of her life, Freddie de Vere, is to marry someone else, she knows her heart will break. Devastated, she volunteers her nursing skills overseas to take her away from the painful reminders at home. But things are about to get much worse for Poppy. The journey to the hospital in Flanders is full of horrors, and when she arrives it is to find a spiteful ward Sister and unfriendly nurses. Despite her loneliness and homesickness, the dangers of frontline warfare soon make her forget her own troubles and Poppy finds that comfort for a broken heart can be found in the most unexpected places.
Brilliantly researched and inspired by real-life events, big and small, Poppy in the Field is a story about the forgotten bravery of women on the front line, told through the eyes of a young woman determined to play her part.
Brilliantly researched and inspired by real-life events, big and small, Poppy in the Field is a story about the forgotten bravery of women on the front line, told through the eyes of a young woman determined to play her part.
288 pages, Paperback
First published May 7, 2015
12 people are currently reading
399 people want to read
About the author
Mary Hooper
211 books289 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.
British children's and young adult author Mary Hooper was born in 1944, in Barnes, then in Surrey, nowadays in South West London. She left school at fifteen, and went to work as a window dresser, and then as a secretary. She eventually returned to school, as an adult student, earning a degree in English from Reading University. Hooper began her writing career with short stories, publishing in women's and teen magazines. Her first book, Jodie, was published in 1978. She is married, has two children, and one grandchild, and lives in Henley on Thames, Oxfordshire.
British children's and young adult author Mary Hooper was born in 1944, in Barnes, then in Surrey, nowadays in South West London. She left school at fifteen, and went to work as a window dresser, and then as a secretary. She eventually returned to school, as an adult student, earning a degree in English from Reading University. Hooper began her writing career with short stories, publishing in women's and teen magazines. Her first book, Jodie, was published in 1978. She is married, has two children, and one grandchild, and lives in Henley on Thames, Oxfordshire.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
October 1, 2017
Poppy in the Field is book two of Poppy series by Mary Hooper. Poppy is Voluntary Aid Detachment (VAD) during the First World War. Poppy enjoys working at Netley Hut Hospital in Southhampton and thought her life was perfect. However, this was not the case. Poppy found out her boyfriend is marrying someone else and she asked to go overseas to help the wounded soldiers in France. The readers of Poppy in the Field will continue to follow Poppy to see what happens to her in France.
Poppy in the Field is an enjoyable book to read. I like the way Mary Hooper portrays her characters. The way Mary Hooper describes the life of nurses and VAD during the wartime was done in a way that her readers will understand and engage with the story. I also like Mary Hooper portrayal of soldiers who became shell shock due to their experiences in the war.
Readers of Poppy in the Field will learn about the role and importance of Voluntary Aid Detachment personnel during wartime. Also, readers of Poppy in the Field will learn about the consequences of giving out white feathers to young men.
I recommend this book.
Poppy in the Field is an enjoyable book to read. I like the way Mary Hooper portrays her characters. The way Mary Hooper describes the life of nurses and VAD during the wartime was done in a way that her readers will understand and engage with the story. I also like Mary Hooper portrayal of soldiers who became shell shock due to their experiences in the war.
Readers of Poppy in the Field will learn about the role and importance of Voluntary Aid Detachment personnel during wartime. Also, readers of Poppy in the Field will learn about the consequences of giving out white feathers to young men.
I recommend this book.
February 8, 2017
4/5
Poppy in the Field is a continuation of Poppy by Mary Hooper. As the title suggests, we, once again, follow the hopeful young VAD Poppy who decides to apply for a position at a base hospital in France in the wake of turbulent heartbreak that has come with the recent news of her love Freddie's marriage to a sophisticated debutante.
Hooper has evidently done extensive research and in amongst the pages there is ample amount of descriptive detail that places you right in the time period. From the character portrayals to the world building to the language used, Hooper excels at creating the right environment in her writing.
Poppy is such a relatable character. As a newly registered nurse myself (I will not make any distinction between myself and her - a VAD, which I believe is the equivalent to an AIN), I could empathise with many of the struggles and hurdles that Poppy had to overcome during her nursing career. The cases of men in this book are, of course, of a more critical nature than my own patients (being a paediatric nurse that is only natural), but I think back to when I did my training... I felt very at home with her character - traces of her personality and situations I could see in myself. She is, overall, just here to do good. She wants to make the world a better place and oftentimes comments on the meaninglessness of the war and mortality. I can identify with her strong moral conduct easily, and found her to be a generally well-written heroine.
There is a romance in this book, as expected, and the love interest could be seen from miles away (hint: he was in the first book!). This predictability, however, did not detract from the sweetness and adorableness of the progression of their relationship. Although a bit hasty, but I suppose that can be related to the nature of the world they live in. In all honesty I got excited whenever they were together. It's possible that my reading this book was relatively quick was due to the fact that I wanted them to just GET TOGETHER ALREADY!!!
The writing style is easy to follow. In light of the difficult subject matter I was able to breeze through this novel, Hooper is to be commended in this way. The dialogue seemed quite authentic too.
The ending felt a tad rushed, like the author just wanted to get this book done ASAP. I was left wanting more detail, more insight into the future for all of the characters... but maybe it was the author's decision to leave some missing pieces, for the reader to fill in the blanks. In any case, the bigger issues and plot points had been tied up. I guess I just want more.
Poppy in the Field is a continuation of Poppy by Mary Hooper. As the title suggests, we, once again, follow the hopeful young VAD Poppy who decides to apply for a position at a base hospital in France in the wake of turbulent heartbreak that has come with the recent news of her love Freddie's marriage to a sophisticated debutante.
Hooper has evidently done extensive research and in amongst the pages there is ample amount of descriptive detail that places you right in the time period. From the character portrayals to the world building to the language used, Hooper excels at creating the right environment in her writing.
Poppy is such a relatable character. As a newly registered nurse myself (I will not make any distinction between myself and her - a VAD, which I believe is the equivalent to an AIN), I could empathise with many of the struggles and hurdles that Poppy had to overcome during her nursing career. The cases of men in this book are, of course, of a more critical nature than my own patients (being a paediatric nurse that is only natural), but I think back to when I did my training... I felt very at home with her character - traces of her personality and situations I could see in myself. She is, overall, just here to do good. She wants to make the world a better place and oftentimes comments on the meaninglessness of the war and mortality. I can identify with her strong moral conduct easily, and found her to be a generally well-written heroine.
There is a romance in this book, as expected, and the love interest could be seen from miles away (hint: he was in the first book!). This predictability, however, did not detract from the sweetness and adorableness of the progression of their relationship. Although a bit hasty, but I suppose that can be related to the nature of the world they live in. In all honesty I got excited whenever they were together. It's possible that my reading this book was relatively quick was due to the fact that I wanted them to just GET TOGETHER ALREADY!!!
The writing style is easy to follow. In light of the difficult subject matter I was able to breeze through this novel, Hooper is to be commended in this way. The dialogue seemed quite authentic too.
The ending felt a tad rushed, like the author just wanted to get this book done ASAP. I was left wanting more detail, more insight into the future for all of the characters... but maybe it was the author's decision to leave some missing pieces, for the reader to fill in the blanks. In any case, the bigger issues and plot points had been tied up. I guess I just want more.
May 9, 2015
I really loved the first book in this series, Poppy, when I read it last year so I've been desperately waiting to get my hands on this sequel. Once again Mary Hooper has written a fabulous story that gives so much insight into the lives of nurses during WWI, she is able to transport readers back in time and she includes so many little details that it feels like you're actually there.
During the previous book Poppy trained as a VAD (Voluntary Aid Detachment) nurse and we got to see first hand the long hours and amount of dedication the nurses put in to caring for wounded soldiers. While working in London Poppy was treating soldiers weeks after they'd received their initial injuries and she was more involved in their long term care but after having her heart broken she makes the decision that she can be of more help working closer to the front line. Poppy makes the journey to France where she begins work in one of the many makeshift hospitals that was set up in an old casino. Working incredibly long hours Poppy is exhausted, lonely and missing home but she finds comfort in the friendship she makes with some of her fellow nurses and she knows what a difference she is making to the lives of the solders she is treating.
I absolutely loved this book, not only is it incredibly informative but it's also superbly written and very easy to read. Poppy in the Field is the kind of story that you find yourself thinking about days after you finish reading it and the characters definitely stick with you. There are so many stories out there about the young men who gave their lives fighting for their country during the war but we always seem to hear a lot less about the sacrifices made by women so I really loved getting to see the war through a woman's eyes. The nurses who volunteered to go to the front lines were incredibly strong, courageous and hard working women who risked their own lives to help others. Their role was just as important to the war effort and they made the lives of the injured soldiers just that tiny bit easier. I think it's incredibly important for us to read stories like this one and for girls to have such fantastic role models to look up to.
This series has been fantastic and it's definitely one I'll read again in the future. Poppy's story was completely captivating, it isn't always an easy read and at times it will break your heart but it will also show you the true meaning of human resilience and prove just how much we're capable of if we really push ourselves.
During the previous book Poppy trained as a VAD (Voluntary Aid Detachment) nurse and we got to see first hand the long hours and amount of dedication the nurses put in to caring for wounded soldiers. While working in London Poppy was treating soldiers weeks after they'd received their initial injuries and she was more involved in their long term care but after having her heart broken she makes the decision that she can be of more help working closer to the front line. Poppy makes the journey to France where she begins work in one of the many makeshift hospitals that was set up in an old casino. Working incredibly long hours Poppy is exhausted, lonely and missing home but she finds comfort in the friendship she makes with some of her fellow nurses and she knows what a difference she is making to the lives of the solders she is treating.
I absolutely loved this book, not only is it incredibly informative but it's also superbly written and very easy to read. Poppy in the Field is the kind of story that you find yourself thinking about days after you finish reading it and the characters definitely stick with you. There are so many stories out there about the young men who gave their lives fighting for their country during the war but we always seem to hear a lot less about the sacrifices made by women so I really loved getting to see the war through a woman's eyes. The nurses who volunteered to go to the front lines were incredibly strong, courageous and hard working women who risked their own lives to help others. Their role was just as important to the war effort and they made the lives of the injured soldiers just that tiny bit easier. I think it's incredibly important for us to read stories like this one and for girls to have such fantastic role models to look up to.
This series has been fantastic and it's definitely one I'll read again in the future. Poppy's story was completely captivating, it isn't always an easy read and at times it will break your heart but it will also show you the true meaning of human resilience and prove just how much we're capable of if we really push ourselves.
June 18, 2017
This duology, Poppy and Poppy in the Field have been unexpectedly rather terrific. Poppy first introduces us to the title character, who was a young woman in service. At the urging of a mentor Poppy applies to be a VAD, and we follow her journey through training and then a posting in a hospital on the home front. This second book follows Poppy as she transfer to France.
It is clear the author has done her research. Elements of the book are consistent with non-fiction I’ve read, but what I really like is that the author doesn’t information dump but rather has written a book that evokes a sense of time and place and has seamlessly incorporated information.
I know I would have loved these books as a teen. I still like them now many (many) years older. They provide a glimpse into a changing Britain and the role of women in that; as well as a look at the role of VADs and nurses in France.
Great little books.
It is clear the author has done her research. Elements of the book are consistent with non-fiction I’ve read, but what I really like is that the author doesn’t information dump but rather has written a book that evokes a sense of time and place and has seamlessly incorporated information.
I know I would have loved these books as a teen. I still like them now many (many) years older. They provide a glimpse into a changing Britain and the role of women in that; as well as a look at the role of VADs and nurses in France.
Great little books.
April 8, 2017
I have been looking forward to this book since I finished Poppy last year. I've always enjoyed Mary Hooper's book because I know that the history is going to be well researched and interesting and the story is going to be exciting and engaging. This book was no exception.
Poppy in the field picks up straight after where Poppy left off. Poppy has been left devastated. The man she has been seeing has married someone else and she has decided to cope by throwing herself into her work and requested to be sent abroad to work nearer to the frontline to help the soldiers wounded in the war.
I loved the detail given in this book about the work Poppy undertakes as a VAD. I love teaching this period in history and am fascinated by medical history and the role that women played in the war which is often forgotten. This book gives really good insight into all of those things and I really loved it for that.
As well as the historical detail I loved Poppy's story. I won't say too much but when she transfers to France she find things tough but I loved how things worked out. That's not to say things bounce along in a straight forward manner because they certainly don't and I must admit several things that happened left me chocked up in their realism making you really understand the horror of the first world war.
Poppy in the field picks up straight after where Poppy left off. Poppy has been left devastated. The man she has been seeing has married someone else and she has decided to cope by throwing herself into her work and requested to be sent abroad to work nearer to the frontline to help the soldiers wounded in the war.
I loved the detail given in this book about the work Poppy undertakes as a VAD. I love teaching this period in history and am fascinated by medical history and the role that women played in the war which is often forgotten. This book gives really good insight into all of those things and I really loved it for that.
As well as the historical detail I loved Poppy's story. I won't say too much but when she transfers to France she find things tough but I loved how things worked out. That's not to say things bounce along in a straight forward manner because they certainly don't and I must admit several things that happened left me chocked up in their realism making you really understand the horror of the first world war.
July 11, 2025
*reread 25*
Sometimes I need to connect to my roots - my roots being Mary Hooper historical fiction. Honestly, for a YA book it's very well-researched and very well-written. I was brought up on some cracking literature.
Comfort read mainly based around France in 1916.... A good one if I haven't read owt in an age. Also,
Sometimes I need to connect to my roots - my roots being Mary Hooper historical fiction. Honestly, for a YA book it's very well-researched and very well-written. I was brought up on some cracking literature.
Comfort read mainly based around France in 1916.... A good one if I haven't read owt in an age. Also,
April 11, 2020
Having found herself doing something she loves, Poppy is devastated when she learns that Freddie - the young man she thought herself to be in love with - is to be married to his childhood sweetheart. As a result she decides to volunteer to be a VAD in France, near the frontline.
So we follow Poppy to the next part of her war experience. We see the life on the frontline, and get some idea of the awful experiences that would have been the norm. Poppy develops her nursing skills, and even makes friends.
Along the way Poppy is in intermittent contact with her old friend, Dr Michael. You could see where this was going from a mile off, but it was done in a way that made sense for the time in which the novel is set.
There are, inevitably, ups and downs in this. While so many awful things are happening we’re offered an insight into the valuable work the nursing staff carried out. Some things never change!
So we follow Poppy to the next part of her war experience. We see the life on the frontline, and get some idea of the awful experiences that would have been the norm. Poppy develops her nursing skills, and even makes friends.
Along the way Poppy is in intermittent contact with her old friend, Dr Michael. You could see where this was going from a mile off, but it was done in a way that made sense for the time in which the novel is set.
There are, inevitably, ups and downs in this. While so many awful things are happening we’re offered an insight into the valuable work the nursing staff carried out. Some things never change!
August 13, 2019
It's a prefect ending and a little bit of a sad one too. Well I just happy Poppy lives happily ever after
April 20, 2015
Loved Poppy and of reading her experiences. Mary Hooper really brought WWI alive with this really emotional and fascinating story of a voluntary nurse!
I absolutely loved the first book in this duology, Poppy, and was hugely, incredibly excited to find out how the story would end in this fantastic sequel, Poppy in the Field by Mary Hooper! It's being published by Bloomsbury on the 7th of May, and honestly? It's well worth reading.
I think what I loved so much about Poppy and about Poppy in the Field is that Mary Hooper has this fantastic way of weaving in great amounts of historical detail into an interesting narrative without the story feeling in any way educational or bogged down. Everything flows very naturally and it's all incredibly fascinating. That's what I felt when I was reading both books. But I also really cared for Poppy and her friends and family. And about the men who she comes across in her job as a voluntary nurse during World War I. Some of these men only come briefly into the story but all of the soldiers ended up having an impact on the story.
And then there's the romance element. Despite the tag line on this book - 'Heartbreak on the front line' - I think another one of my favourite elements of these two stories is that there is a romantic aspect to the story, but Poppy's own experiences in the war effort, her relationships with the other nurses and telling the stories of women in WWI and of the soldiers' experiences and the different medical advances that take place, for me anyway, are at the forefront of these two books. And there is also a very satisfying and sweet and rather subtle romance as well.
The rest of this review will contain spoilers for the first book in the series, Poppy. If you have not yet read that book, and would like to, perhaps it would be best if you stopped reading now.
Poppy in the Field begins shortly after the dramatic ending of Poppy in which Poppy has found out that her sweetheart, Freddie de Vere, is now engaged to another woman and will be getting married very shortly. Poppy decides very suddenly to put her name down to volunteer as a nurse on the front line in an attempt to get over her broken heart. She knows it will be much more dangerous and difficult working overseas but she feels like this is a necessary change and she likes the idea of being useful during the war.
Unfortunately for Poppy, at the start, things don't go as well as she'd like. She's assigned to a difficult ward Sister who gives her very little responsibility and the other nurses are unfriendly and stand-offish. Together with her broken heart, Poppy must muddle through. And I loved seeing how well Poppy picks herself up following adversity.
Just as in the previous book, Poppy finds herself with some other nurse friends and endearing herself to her soldier patients. There are letters to her mother, her brother, the family friend who is supporting Poppy financially as a nurse and letters to Poppy's friend, Matthews. New characters are introduced in the form of American nurses, Dot and Tilly and old faces return such as Doctor Michael Archer.
And throughout we have Poppy Pearson, this strong, capable young woman taking things in her stride and doing the best she can. As I said above, I really love how much historical detail there is in this book without it ever feeling like it's crammed packed with history. It's just happens naturally in Poppy's conversations with those around her and we get a great glimpse of what the war was like in 1916.
I loved Poppy as a character. I loved her courage and tenacity. I loved her friendships and how professional she is as a volunteer nurse. I loved that she was heartbroken but still carried on as usual and eventually moves on. Poppy in the Field was a wonderful conclusion to Poppy's story and I really urge you to read it!
I absolutely loved the first book in this duology, Poppy, and was hugely, incredibly excited to find out how the story would end in this fantastic sequel, Poppy in the Field by Mary Hooper! It's being published by Bloomsbury on the 7th of May, and honestly? It's well worth reading.
I think what I loved so much about Poppy and about Poppy in the Field is that Mary Hooper has this fantastic way of weaving in great amounts of historical detail into an interesting narrative without the story feeling in any way educational or bogged down. Everything flows very naturally and it's all incredibly fascinating. That's what I felt when I was reading both books. But I also really cared for Poppy and her friends and family. And about the men who she comes across in her job as a voluntary nurse during World War I. Some of these men only come briefly into the story but all of the soldiers ended up having an impact on the story.
And then there's the romance element. Despite the tag line on this book - 'Heartbreak on the front line' - I think another one of my favourite elements of these two stories is that there is a romantic aspect to the story, but Poppy's own experiences in the war effort, her relationships with the other nurses and telling the stories of women in WWI and of the soldiers' experiences and the different medical advances that take place, for me anyway, are at the forefront of these two books. And there is also a very satisfying and sweet and rather subtle romance as well.
The rest of this review will contain spoilers for the first book in the series, Poppy. If you have not yet read that book, and would like to, perhaps it would be best if you stopped reading now.
Poppy in the Field begins shortly after the dramatic ending of Poppy in which Poppy has found out that her sweetheart, Freddie de Vere, is now engaged to another woman and will be getting married very shortly. Poppy decides very suddenly to put her name down to volunteer as a nurse on the front line in an attempt to get over her broken heart. She knows it will be much more dangerous and difficult working overseas but she feels like this is a necessary change and she likes the idea of being useful during the war.
Unfortunately for Poppy, at the start, things don't go as well as she'd like. She's assigned to a difficult ward Sister who gives her very little responsibility and the other nurses are unfriendly and stand-offish. Together with her broken heart, Poppy must muddle through. And I loved seeing how well Poppy picks herself up following adversity.
Just as in the previous book, Poppy finds herself with some other nurse friends and endearing herself to her soldier patients. There are letters to her mother, her brother, the family friend who is supporting Poppy financially as a nurse and letters to Poppy's friend, Matthews. New characters are introduced in the form of American nurses, Dot and Tilly and old faces return such as Doctor Michael Archer.
And throughout we have Poppy Pearson, this strong, capable young woman taking things in her stride and doing the best she can. As I said above, I really love how much historical detail there is in this book without it ever feeling like it's crammed packed with history. It's just happens naturally in Poppy's conversations with those around her and we get a great glimpse of what the war was like in 1916.
I loved Poppy as a character. I loved her courage and tenacity. I loved her friendships and how professional she is as a volunteer nurse. I loved that she was heartbroken but still carried on as usual and eventually moves on. Poppy in the Field was a wonderful conclusion to Poppy's story and I really urge you to read it!
May 7, 2015
Reviews Posted on Angel Reads
I received an e-copy of Poppy in the Field by Mary Hooper through Bloomsbury from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This has in no way influenced my review.
Since ANZAC Day just passed I actually wanted to read a young adult novel set in around a time of war. So when I saw Poppy in the Field on Netgalley I requested it straight away and it was only when I finished it that I realised it was a sequel. But in saying all this I wasn’t confused one bit.
I quite enjoyed Poppy in the Field, I haven’t read many war time books before so it fresh and different to what I have read before. It was also quite different because, standard war books are about the men on the front line however this is more about the nurses, the women and men who made a vast difference. These people saved so many lives.
Poppy is a certainly interesting character, she was intriguing nonetheless at times quite annoying. Especially when she keeps on going about Freddie de Vere, oh I wanted to just smack her out of it. It was really annoying, even after she hadn’t thought about him in a while, then something happens and she starts talking about him again – maybe because I didn’t read the first book, I don’t know how their relationship worked or anything. Then again it was annoying, that all she was thinking about for a great deal of the book was Freddie.
When Poppy transferred to ‘hospital’ further in the front line, it was quite interesting. It’s different hearing the experience of war from a nurse rather than a veteran of war. However it wasn’t resembling what Poppy imagined. It wasn’t the gore of war that startled her, but other nurses. Especially her head nurse who does not think she is capable of doing what ‘qualified’ nurses can. However Poppy struggles with loneliness and homesickness but the dangers of the frontline soon distract her.
Mary Hooper captures imagery throughout her writing in a way that enables the reader to put themselves into the story and ‘be there.’ At the start I didn’t believe that I wasn’t going to cry because Hooper’s writing didn’t seem fully emotional nevertheless as time went on, I could feel that my heart was going to break and at times it did.
Tough I did feel that the ending was quite rushed and it was more of a summary then a novel. It gave me a sour taste in my mouth.
Poppy in the Field remains an intriguing piece of work that not only captures the reader but gives an insight on war that readers don’t always see or acknowledge. Poppy in the Field isn’t as raw as I thought it would be or hoping that it was but it had just enough that reminded as that, Poppy was in the middle of war. I laughed, I cried and I swooned.
I received an e-copy of Poppy in the Field by Mary Hooper through Bloomsbury from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This has in no way influenced my review.
Since ANZAC Day just passed I actually wanted to read a young adult novel set in around a time of war. So when I saw Poppy in the Field on Netgalley I requested it straight away and it was only when I finished it that I realised it was a sequel. But in saying all this I wasn’t confused one bit.
I quite enjoyed Poppy in the Field, I haven’t read many war time books before so it fresh and different to what I have read before. It was also quite different because, standard war books are about the men on the front line however this is more about the nurses, the women and men who made a vast difference. These people saved so many lives.
Poppy is a certainly interesting character, she was intriguing nonetheless at times quite annoying. Especially when she keeps on going about Freddie de Vere, oh I wanted to just smack her out of it. It was really annoying, even after she hadn’t thought about him in a while, then something happens and she starts talking about him again – maybe because I didn’t read the first book, I don’t know how their relationship worked or anything. Then again it was annoying, that all she was thinking about for a great deal of the book was Freddie.
When Poppy transferred to ‘hospital’ further in the front line, it was quite interesting. It’s different hearing the experience of war from a nurse rather than a veteran of war. However it wasn’t resembling what Poppy imagined. It wasn’t the gore of war that startled her, but other nurses. Especially her head nurse who does not think she is capable of doing what ‘qualified’ nurses can. However Poppy struggles with loneliness and homesickness but the dangers of the frontline soon distract her.
Mary Hooper captures imagery throughout her writing in a way that enables the reader to put themselves into the story and ‘be there.’ At the start I didn’t believe that I wasn’t going to cry because Hooper’s writing didn’t seem fully emotional nevertheless as time went on, I could feel that my heart was going to break and at times it did.
Tough I did feel that the ending was quite rushed and it was more of a summary then a novel. It gave me a sour taste in my mouth.
Poppy in the Field remains an intriguing piece of work that not only captures the reader but gives an insight on war that readers don’t always see or acknowledge. Poppy in the Field isn’t as raw as I thought it would be or hoping that it was but it had just enough that reminded as that, Poppy was in the middle of war. I laughed, I cried and I swooned.
December 24, 2015
2015 so far has not been a very good year of reading for me. I just haven't been all that excited about any of the upcoming releases. May, however, is a month in which two of my most anticipated books are due out - Susan Ee's End of Days being one and Poppy in the Field being the other. So, needless to say that when I got this before the expected publication date I was very happy!
It's obvious a lot of research has gone into this book as Hooper paints a vivid picture of what it was like for VADs on the front line. I've read a few books based on WW1 before, but never from the POV of a VAD so it was definitely an interesting experience. It made me appreciate just how hard these women worked. Poppy herself is an admirable mc, I loved her dedication to what she was doing and how keen she was to do her part for the war.
Having transferred to a hospital in France Poppy is now on the front line, so the casualties brought in are much worse than those brought in England. It was horrible reading about the types of injuries men suffered during the war and the amount of death was shocking. It's not all death and gloom, though, there are some lighter moments as Poppy makes friends and is reacquainted with some familiar faces.
I loved the wit and charm of the love interest, and also his honesty. The romance was really sweet and subtle, every time the he would appear I'd find myself smiling, because it felt so genuine.
Overall, this was a great conclusion to Poppy's story, and it is my first four star read of the year!
This review also appears on my blog, The Page Turner.
It's obvious a lot of research has gone into this book as Hooper paints a vivid picture of what it was like for VADs on the front line. I've read a few books based on WW1 before, but never from the POV of a VAD so it was definitely an interesting experience. It made me appreciate just how hard these women worked. Poppy herself is an admirable mc, I loved her dedication to what she was doing and how keen she was to do her part for the war.
Having transferred to a hospital in France Poppy is now on the front line, so the casualties brought in are much worse than those brought in England. It was horrible reading about the types of injuries men suffered during the war and the amount of death was shocking. It's not all death and gloom, though, there are some lighter moments as Poppy makes friends and is reacquainted with some familiar faces.
I loved the wit and charm of the love interest, and also his honesty. The romance was really sweet and subtle, every time the he would appear I'd find myself smiling, because it felt so genuine.
Overall, this was a great conclusion to Poppy's story, and it is my first four star read of the year!
This review also appears on my blog, The Page Turner.
November 11, 2015
This is a continuation of the story of Poppy -- a young English VAD nurse. In this novel, as suggested by the title, Poppy moves from a hospital in Southampton to the war-front in France. Somewhat annoyingly (refer to my review of Poppy), Poppy requests to be moved to the front-line after she gets thrown over by that cad Philip de Vere. (I loathed this lukewarm and unrealistic romance.)
The best bits of the novel are Poppy's close and sympathetic encounters with various wounded soldiers. They are described with a kind of matter-of-fact sensitivity rather than melodrama. One particularly memorable vignette is Poppy's encounter with 'Tibs' -- brought bloody and muddy straight from the trenches. Poppy has to cut his clothes and boots off of him -- and the description of his trench foot was almost too visceral.
As with the first novel, there are some subplots involving friendship, romance, and Poppy's brother Billy, but the relationships that Poppy has with her patients are by far the most important and affecting bits of the storyline.
The best bits of the novel are Poppy's close and sympathetic encounters with various wounded soldiers. They are described with a kind of matter-of-fact sensitivity rather than melodrama. One particularly memorable vignette is Poppy's encounter with 'Tibs' -- brought bloody and muddy straight from the trenches. Poppy has to cut his clothes and boots off of him -- and the description of his trench foot was almost too visceral.
As with the first novel, there are some subplots involving friendship, romance, and Poppy's brother Billy, but the relationships that Poppy has with her patients are by far the most important and affecting bits of the storyline.
November 4, 2020
I really wish I could have given this a higher review but I couldn't even put it on to 2 stars.
As I said in my previous review of the first book, it was really interesting learning about the First World War, but if I wanted to learn about it I would have looked for a book on that specifically. I was looking for a good romance/action book, and this didn't give me that at all.
First of all, I really did wonder what the point of Freddie de Vere was in this book. They met, started liking each other, Poppy fell in love but then that whole storyline disappeared into nothing once Freddie was forced to marry another woman. I didn't have a problem with that, but more with the fact that he never even appeared again in the story, and it's really disappointing considering pretty much the whole first book was about him; it feels like reading about it was a waste of time.
She then forgets all about him, meets another man, who she ends up liking (surprise surprise), and in the end they were going to get married (which I thought happend bit strangely, but there we go). I wouldn't have had a problem with this if her and Freddie had some sort of closure, but it had the worse ending for him that you could imagine, which was presumably being killed at war. So the whole first book was about him, but basically all for nothing. I know I'm probably the odd one out here as this book has very high reviews, which I completely understand, but this is how I felt about it.
As I said in my previous review of the first book, it was really interesting learning about the First World War, but if I wanted to learn about it I would have looked for a book on that specifically. I was looking for a good romance/action book, and this didn't give me that at all.
First of all, I really did wonder what the point of Freddie de Vere was in this book. They met, started liking each other, Poppy fell in love but then that whole storyline disappeared into nothing once Freddie was forced to marry another woman. I didn't have a problem with that, but more with the fact that he never even appeared again in the story, and it's really disappointing considering pretty much the whole first book was about him; it feels like reading about it was a waste of time.
She then forgets all about him, meets another man, who she ends up liking (surprise surprise), and in the end they were going to get married (which I thought happend bit strangely, but there we go). I wouldn't have had a problem with this if her and Freddie had some sort of closure, but it had the worse ending for him that you could imagine, which was presumably being killed at war. So the whole first book was about him, but basically all for nothing. I know I'm probably the odd one out here as this book has very high reviews, which I completely understand, but this is how I felt about it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 16, 2019
This is a light read despite the desperate Great War setting. The setting was well referenced and Poppy's character was give a wide range of emotions. It made me reflect how she could her service "with a grain of salt" and not be emotionally enmeshed in the tragedy of the wounded around her.
It was a different time then and injury and illness and death were quite common to daily life. Perhaps what stood out was the frequency and so many injured and dead in a much shorter timespan. Something our youth in 2018 cannot imagine other than in news stories. In today's world, trauma and death are not the norm.
Back to the lightness. What I enjoyed is seeing WWl through the dignified eyes of those times. I smiled at the innocent pranks even knowing they were cause for immediate termination without pay and being banned from future nursing.
This was a most definitely stroll into the day to day world of military hospital nursing.
The online reference links at the end about individual nurses were a bonus.
It was a different time then and injury and illness and death were quite common to daily life. Perhaps what stood out was the frequency and so many injured and dead in a much shorter timespan. Something our youth in 2018 cannot imagine other than in news stories. In today's world, trauma and death are not the norm.
Back to the lightness. What I enjoyed is seeing WWl through the dignified eyes of those times. I smiled at the innocent pranks even knowing they were cause for immediate termination without pay and being banned from future nursing.
This was a most definitely stroll into the day to day world of military hospital nursing.
The online reference links at the end about individual nurses were a bonus.
April 7, 2018
This book was awesome! I really enjoyed Poppy's story. Poppy is a young British girl serving as VAD during WWI. After her heart is broken, she puts in to serve across the channel in France, which is closer to the fighting. Once there, she continues to care for the young British soldiers who are wounded.
I loved reading about what Poppy and others like her went through. I also liked how we not only got to see a military hospital but a clearing station right next to the battlefield. WWI was a world-changing event. No war like it had ever been fought nor had it ever been possible to kill that many people at one time. Also, many things in society changed. Mary Hooper did a great job showing all of this in her writing.
I highly recommend it to lovers of historical fiction but also to people interested in Nursing.
I loved reading about what Poppy and others like her went through. I also liked how we not only got to see a military hospital but a clearing station right next to the battlefield. WWI was a world-changing event. No war like it had ever been fought nor had it ever been possible to kill that many people at one time. Also, many things in society changed. Mary Hooper did a great job showing all of this in her writing.
I highly recommend it to lovers of historical fiction but also to people interested in Nursing.
December 8, 2021
The ending felt rushed and I believe that it could have wrapped up the farewell with the de vere guy using the patient x subplot and possibly solidified the relationship with the doctor dude more. Other than that, it was great in detail and setting. Only the plot and how the de vere guy was killed off in one line at the end of the book felt like the author was trying to cut off loose ties.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 18, 2019
This was more of a 3.5 star read. I did like Poppy and her spunk. I just hated that the only part of the plot was her working with the patients. I just wanted a bit more character development and romance, but that was just an after thought. This was a decent conclusion to Poppy’s story.
December 31, 2024
Scrap whatever I said about the first one not needing a sequel, I enjoyed this one even more. I think all Hopper novels I've read were set in England, so this was a nice change.
Very sad yet realistic though, as all wartime books are.
And so this ends my 2024 in books.
Very sad yet realistic though, as all wartime books are.
And so this ends my 2024 in books.
June 15, 2017
Full review to come, but oh wow I did not like that ending.
July 9, 2018
Very educational story on the kind of injuries a war can produce. The author gives a great atmosphere to the era and events. A good book to introduce youngsters to the great war
June 8, 2016
I absolutely adored the first book in this series, Poppy, and I simply couldn't wait to read this book. I wasn't disappointed as Mary Hooper yet again delivered a faultless novel of nurses in World War One and the struggles of the reality of soldiers fighting the war.
I found Poppy hard to get into, but I was glad that I stayed with it. Poppy in the Field was no different. It took me about three or four chapters in before I was truly gripped into the story. Both books are highly informative and both deserve a 5/5 star review!
Poppy in the Field was capturing and imaginative. The love stories were probably my favourite part and the stories of the lives of the soldiers Poppy cared for in her wards. Due to a move of location, we are now in France in this sequel instead of England. The locations, of course were different, but many aspects of it was just the same. I didn't feel 100% transferred to France until half-way through the book when Hooper told us about the gun-fire and shells being heard. Most of the books are written while Poppy is in the Wards. This is a brilliant time to hear soldiers stories, but it does not seem to help with the change of location - hard to tell you are in France instead.
This story broke my heart - especially with the ending of Poppy - but it also made it again at the end. I predicted the end would happen, but not in the way it did. I was surprised, but loved how Hooper managed to surprise us readers yet again!
The only fault I have with this book is that the ending seemed to be very rushed compared with the first book. This ending happened far faster than expected and the 'what happened next' chapter at the end was quite short and didn't go into much detail of what happened to Michael Archer or other characters such as the rest of the de Vere family etc.
I would love if Hooper would do another book - even a novella - to describe of the lives of the characters after the war and how the aftermath effected them. I think it would be good to see how much further Poppy takes her desire to be a nurse too!
All in all, this was a fantastic book! Characters were great, romance was great, element of surprise was amazing! Hooper never fails to deliver a good historical fiction book with extreme historical accuracy!
I found Poppy hard to get into, but I was glad that I stayed with it. Poppy in the Field was no different. It took me about three or four chapters in before I was truly gripped into the story. Both books are highly informative and both deserve a 5/5 star review!
Poppy in the Field was capturing and imaginative. The love stories were probably my favourite part and the stories of the lives of the soldiers Poppy cared for in her wards. Due to a move of location, we are now in France in this sequel instead of England. The locations, of course were different, but many aspects of it was just the same. I didn't feel 100% transferred to France until half-way through the book when Hooper told us about the gun-fire and shells being heard. Most of the books are written while Poppy is in the Wards. This is a brilliant time to hear soldiers stories, but it does not seem to help with the change of location - hard to tell you are in France instead.
This story broke my heart - especially with the ending of Poppy - but it also made it again at the end. I predicted the end would happen, but not in the way it did. I was surprised, but loved how Hooper managed to surprise us readers yet again!
The only fault I have with this book is that the ending seemed to be very rushed compared with the first book. This ending happened far faster than expected and the 'what happened next' chapter at the end was quite short and didn't go into much detail of what happened to Michael Archer or other characters such as the rest of the de Vere family etc.
I would love if Hooper would do another book - even a novella - to describe of the lives of the characters after the war and how the aftermath effected them. I think it would be good to see how much further Poppy takes her desire to be a nurse too!
All in all, this was a fantastic book! Characters were great, romance was great, element of surprise was amazing! Hooper never fails to deliver a good historical fiction book with extreme historical accuracy!
July 26, 2024
After finishing Poppy, I immediately purchased and downloaded this book and then read it in one day. This is saying a lot because, in terms of books, delayed gratification is not something that I have a problem with on a regular basis. I honestly can't remember the last time I finished a book and then moved straight to the sequel.
In the first book, Poppy leaves service and becomes a volunteer nurse. I loved reading about all the details of her training and life during The Great War. I loved how this book dealt with the beginnings of the breakdown of the class structure and told the story of an average girl doing her best to help the war effort.
I liked Poppy in the Field even more than the first in the series. I liked moving with Poppy to the front and seeing the war from a closer view. Poppy is a rather delightful character, and this series does such a fantastic job transporting its reader back in time.
More YA books to read while commemorating World War I.
Poppy and Poppy in the Field remind me in the best way of Eva Ibbottson's historical fiction.
Mary Hopper's series is so timely and a great way to commemorate the centennial of World War I.
In the first book, Poppy leaves service and becomes a volunteer nurse. I loved reading about all the details of her training and life during The Great War. I loved how this book dealt with the beginnings of the breakdown of the class structure and told the story of an average girl doing her best to help the war effort.
I liked Poppy in the Field even more than the first in the series. I liked moving with Poppy to the front and seeing the war from a closer view. Poppy is a rather delightful character, and this series does such a fantastic job transporting its reader back in time.
More YA books to read while commemorating World War I.
Poppy and Poppy in the Field remind me in the best way of Eva Ibbottson's historical fiction.
Mary Hopper's series is so timely and a great way to commemorate the centennial of World War I.
May 18, 2016
Dyslexia Review
This is the second book to 'Poppy' by Mary Hooper.
This book continues where the last book left off and is definitely as interesting, if not more so than the first book.
This book is mainly based in France (the front line) but I was glad to see that there this book didn't focus too much on the front line action. What little there was, was told through Poppy's patients or her letters, which made it really interesting.
I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in WWI and wants to see it through a fresh pair of eyes.
Dyslexic points:
A quick and easy read at only 272 pages with a straight forward plot (with interesting characters).
The font was easy to read and on the larger size which I always appreciate, aiding to the quickness of this read. The pages of the book were beige but as my version was from the library I can not conform the original page colour.
Thank you for reading my review :)
This is the second book to 'Poppy' by Mary Hooper.
This book continues where the last book left off and is definitely as interesting, if not more so than the first book.
This book is mainly based in France (the front line) but I was glad to see that there this book didn't focus too much on the front line action. What little there was, was told through Poppy's patients or her letters, which made it really interesting.
I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in WWI and wants to see it through a fresh pair of eyes.
Dyslexic points:
A quick and easy read at only 272 pages with a straight forward plot (with interesting characters).
The font was easy to read and on the larger size which I always appreciate, aiding to the quickness of this read. The pages of the book were beige but as my version was from the library I can not conform the original page colour.
Thank you for reading my review :)
May 14, 2015
For full dislosure, I recieved this book as part of the Goodreads First Reads programme, so thanks to them!
I really enjoyed this book and I was very happy with the ending. Soemtimes books can have really satisfying endings and I didn't quite expect this book to have one, considering that this book was set in a war and Poppy's main gentleman caller was a soldier.
I quite liked the secondary characters, Dot and Tilly (they seemed to be full of American stereotypes at the beginning, that soon stopped) as well as Poppy's growing friendship with Micheal Archer .
This book was also good at showing more of the war (I liked Dieter, although that made me sad too) as well was high-lighting how society had since changed ().
The reason I gave this book five stars is that I like Poppy as a character - I don't think I did much at the end of Poppy - but she has grown on me and I am glad with her choices in life - I approve. One thing that Mary Hooper is really good at, as opposed to, say, Stephanie Meyer, is that she impresses on the reader the importance of picking for oneself a stable, consistent person as a SO/boyfriend, not just because they look cute/hot. Very good, I would read again.
I really enjoyed this book and I was very happy with the ending. Soemtimes books can have really satisfying endings and I didn't quite expect this book to have one, considering that this book was set in a war and Poppy's main gentleman caller was a soldier.
I quite liked the secondary characters, Dot and Tilly (they seemed to be full of American stereotypes at the beginning, that soon stopped) as well as Poppy's growing friendship with Micheal Archer .
This book was also good at showing more of the war (I liked Dieter, although that made me sad too) as well was high-lighting how society had since changed ().
The reason I gave this book five stars is that I like Poppy as a character - I don't think I did much at the end of Poppy - but she has grown on me and I am glad with her choices in life - I approve. One thing that Mary Hooper is really good at, as opposed to, say, Stephanie Meyer, is that she impresses on the reader the importance of picking for oneself a stable, consistent person as a SO/boyfriend, not just because they look cute/hot. Very good, I would read again.
May 23, 2016
I enjoyed this both as a satisfying love story (not its primary purpose) and as a historical novel. From the (ever so slightly annoying) ending and 'What Happened Next' postscript, it seems as though the author may have decided not to write any more about Poppy, which is a shame, because this girl is a vivid character; but I can see that Hooper really wanted to focus on the Great War.
I'm wondering, however, how Poppy managed to complete her nursing training despite being married. Maybe there is a different kind of book which could be written about combining career and family life in the 1920s? Poppy would have got involved in the Influenza epidemic at the end of the War, for example. Probably not for teenagers, though. I thought that the author incorporated the real-life stories from her extensive research into the plausible narrative very skilfully. The story about the phantom orderly was very touchingly told.
Whilst writing, may I make a plea for Bloomsbury to be a little less crass with their cover design? VADs would have been dismissed for wearing makeup! Trying to appeal to teenagers is no excuse - you are insulting their intelligence.
I'm wondering, however, how Poppy managed to complete her nursing training despite being married. Maybe there is a different kind of book which could be written about combining career and family life in the 1920s? Poppy would have got involved in the Influenza epidemic at the end of the War, for example. Probably not for teenagers, though. I thought that the author incorporated the real-life stories from her extensive research into the plausible narrative very skilfully. The story about the phantom orderly was very touchingly told.
Whilst writing, may I make a plea for Bloomsbury to be a little less crass with their cover design? VADs would have been dismissed for wearing makeup! Trying to appeal to teenagers is no excuse - you are insulting their intelligence.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 7, 2017
It actually took me a while to immerse myself in this book, but once I did, I was so hooked, I finished it in one sitting, and realised that I much preferred it to the first book. I think that Poppy's character developed so much more in this book, and I loved reading about her journey through nursing in France. As for Doctor Archer, well, I've always been on Team Michael (Frankly, Freddie sort of annoyed me) and I loved the romance that blossomed between him and Poppy. Like I mentioned in my lee view of the previous book, these novels really open my eyes to what the war was really like, and I appreciate how horrific it actually was.
December 17, 2016
This follows the character of Poppy, a VAD, to the hospitals in France in WW1. The stories of the injured men were quite interesting, although strung together more than a developed storyline. Poppy herself never grew or changed as a character, beyond getting over Freddie de Vere, and the third act romance was a little too convenient. As for the 'what happened next' section, it's very convenient that all the 'nice' characters got a happy ending and all the 'horrible' characters got killed. Not awful, and likely appropriate for the target audience.
May 26, 2015
Although Poppy is the protagonist, it's less her story than many different people differing in class, status, gender and nationality. Some of the stories had happy endings, some didn't, but Hooper manages to make every little 3-page story heartbreaking and heart-warming in turn. Definitely, definitely recommend.
August 30, 2016
I had been looking forward to reading this book ever since I read the first one in the series, Poppy. This story continues Poppy's tale and is just as moving and detailed as 'Poppy.'
Poppy is given more responsibility and seems to have a real gift for nursing. She also finds her own happiness and love, having previously been let down by a man she trusted.
Poppy is given more responsibility and seems to have a real gift for nursing. She also finds her own happiness and love, having previously been let down by a man she trusted.
February 24, 2016
No 2 of a series about a First World war VAD. Easy to read, engaging and paints a very real picture of the extent of the carnage in the war and the problems encountered by the young girls in volunteer positions.
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