Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

“Love is the enemy of war.”

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – I don’t read a lot of historical fiction. And when I do, it needs to have a plot to intrigue me and I need to read the synopsis and think, “Yes, I can get on board with that.” I’m so glad I gave this one a chance and it didn’t let me down. Historical + crime + espionage? That sounds like a bit of me! So happy to be sharing my review for We Are Made, a well-researched novel set in 1930’s London.

About the book

London, 1938.

William is grieving over his former teacher and mentor, killed fighting for the Republicans in Spain. As Europe slides towards war, he abandons his dream of a life in academia to support his family by working in a factory manufacturing Spitfire parts. And then he bumps into Elizabeth, an old school friend. It isn’t long before the pair are falling in love – but Elizabeth is no longer the girl he remembers.

Caught in a web of counter-espionage, street-fighting, family tension and conflicting desires, William investigates suspicious behaviour at the factory, unleashing tragic consequences that catapult him into the dangerous world of Franco’s Spain, where he must confront what it means to be civilised.

The beginning

I sank into this book pretty quickly, something I didn’t expect for a genre outside of my usual go-to! There was something about this author’s writing and choice of words that always had me coming back for more. He has a certain style that I can’t really compare to anything else, and I found it to be engaging right from the start. We meet William, and it’s soon clear that he and many other characters are mourning the unfortunate death of Cedric, teacher, mentor and friend, who was killed in action. We also meet Elizabeth, a girl William knew from sixth-form, but now a woman very different to who she used to be. She works with the Air Ministry and is keeping a secret, something she isn’t meant to talk about… I really enjoyed meeting all these characters and seeing how they were around each other, especially in 1930s London, where life was very different indeed. The author really encapsulates the uncertainty leading up to the Second World War, the impending danger. But he also shows how the people of London come together.

“This Elizabeth, this new Elizabeth, is not the same girl he was so crazy about. And yet she is. It’s just that now she has mysteries.”

I was really drawn to the deep conversations these characters have about what’s going on around them and what the future might hold. The main characters in particular, William and Elizabeth, felt very well developed and I loved their chemistry from the start. Elizabeth was fascinating to me and I always found her scenes to be interesting – there was certainly something about her we were yet to discover. What was she hiding from William, and why? There were a few politically charged scenes and even though they were powerful and eye-opening, they weren’t to my taste (they never are, but that’s just a me thing!) But my god, with everything I read I was transported back to this time and honestly felt like my own character within this story. Descriptions of people and places were so vivid, the small details really brought everything to life. The way William works to support his family – his father and younger brother – shows us the kind of person he is, but when he starts to notice some strange behaviour at the factory where he works, it had me thinking of the bigger picture… A brilliant start!

The middle

Elizabeth confesses some truths to William which made me even more curious about her. There was a really interesting spy/espionage twist here which gave the book a unique edge, something that was certainly up my alley! William is pulled into a new role, which requires him to be the eyes and ears of the factory where he works and to watch his boss very closely. This was an important and dangerous role – there was no going back now. I loved seeing him take this job in his stride, doing things he would never dream of doing before. His character development was great and I was looking forward to seeing just how much more his life changed as time went on. William’s relationship with Elizabeth was deep and complex. As part of her own role, she must get closer to another man, which is hard for William to see, but something he has to just get on with. And just when you feel things can’t get any more complex for William, there is such a shocking mid-point scene at just the right moment, which genuinely made my jaw drop! I couldn’t wait to see how this changed things in part 2…

“If we know what’s happening now and why it’s happening, we have a chance of knowing what’s going to happen next. And if we know what’s going to happen next, we can make things happen the way we want.”

I was really happy to see elements of other genres as we enter the second part of the book. I am a big fan of a multi-genre book, so I welcomed this! There’s crime (this was very good and unexpected, and we all know how much I love crime books!) there are some mystery and thriller elements and of course, the almost forbidden romance between William and Elizabeth. The book just felt different here in the best way, and I loved it. I felt the tension as William flees after what he’s done, the uncertainty of not knowing what would come next for him. Would anyone find out his secret? William seemed to have changed so much throughout the book and I loved how this was written, the pacing perfect and always engaging. We see action and drama, gunshots and more death, destruction and heartache. I really felt for William, the position he was in, everything he’d lost and for what was yet to come. I wasn’t expecting emotion in this way, but it really worked alongside everything else. Could things get any worse?

The end

There were some political scenes and talks of war that honestly went over my head (again, a me issue) but the research and passion in what this author has written shines through so clearly. William has another dangerous job on his hands and he has to travel far. I could sense that there would be more loss before the book ended, so I prepared myself to say goodbye to another character! Things were so messy and complicated and stressful for William, and I wasn’t entirely sure just how much he would be able to cope with. It was a heavy read at times, especially towards the ending, but it’s certainly worth sticking with. There are some brilliantly tense moments as William and his crew put the wheels in motion for their latest plan and I loved the uncertainty of it all. I held my breath, bracing myself for the worst. But throughout all this, there are scenes of fun and friendship and togetherness which felt bittersweet. I felt I loved these characters more here and we really dig deeper into who they are and what they stand for. It was so cleverly and brilliantly written.

“Revenge. That is what is left after all this. Revenge.”

William spends a bit of time reminiscing about a life before all this, a time when he was younger, more carefree, far away from the war, the politics, the murder, the danger. It put so much into perspective and was quite a thought-provoking part of the book for me. William also receives a returned letter that he wrote to Cedric. It felt almost cruel after what had happened, unkind. But all of this combined evoked such strong emotion in me and made for such a powerful ending. And oh my god, the ending chapters were filled with that intense action (and stealth) that this author writes so well, the kind where lives hang in the balance and futures are uncertain. Even though it was sad, I loved how the very first chapter and the very last were linked in their similarities. Cleverly written and felt very moving. This book has opened my eyes to the different types of historical fiction I never knew existed, and this is one I’ve enjoyed very much! I loved John’s writing and I’m very keen to read more of his work in the future. Historical fiction lovers, this is an author you need on your radar!

Overall thoughts

We Are Made is a compelling historical fiction novel with an espionage twist that I effortlessly sank into and thoroughly enjoyed! I loved the characters in this book, especially William and Elizabeth; what they go through was brave and selfless, yet dangerous and brutal at times. The plot, although heavy and complex in parts, was certainly gripping. The tension and uncertainty was so unexpected, but a pleasant surprise, and everything was written with such passion. I’m not usually a fan of politics in a book, and I can’t say I enjoyed these parts personally, but if you do love some political drama in your historical books, this will be right up your alley. A fantastic plot and a genuinely captivating writing style that will suck you in. I’m looking forward to reading whatever comes next from this author!

You can grab your own copy of We Are Made right now over on Amazon. Make sure you’re following the author over on Instagram for more updates!

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