To Sing of War (Catherine McKinnon, HarperCollins)

From Miles Franklin–shortlisted author Catherine McKinnon (Storyland), To Sing of War confronts the interconnectedness that binds humanity. Against the backdrop of WWII, we find ourselves immersed in the jungles of New Guinea, where a young Australian nurse, Lotte Wyld, encounters her first love, Virgil. Simultaneously, in Los Alamos, New Mexico, young physicists Miriam Carver and Fred Johnson become integral parts of Robert Oppenheimer’s ambitious quest to create a weapon to end all wars. Finally, on the sacred island of Miyajima, Japan, Hiroko Narushima grapples with family safety when her daughter faces peril. While Lotte and Virgil are the more prominent characters in the story, McKinnon’s authorial voice expertly weaves together the stories of other characters, ensuring their narratives intertwine seamlessly. Throughout its seven parts, the novel delves into the lessons embedded in that tumultuous time in history and contemplates how fear moulds behaviour and influences moral compasses. McKinnon raises poignant questions about the unforgivable in love and war, urging reflection on what demands forgiveness. In a world simultaneously wondrous, thrilling, and endangered, the narrative challenges us to consider the impact of individual actions and whether one person can truly make a difference. For readers who enjoyed Alli Parker’s At The Foot Of The Cherry Tree, To Sing of War transcends the boundaries of historical fiction, pushing readers to confront the complexities of human nature in the face of a world forever altered.

Books+Publishing reviewer: Nominated for Bookseller of the Year (2023), Emma Pei Yin is also a freelance writer and reviewer. Books+Publishing is Australia’s number-one source of pre-publication book reviews.

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