Missing the narrative mark

The Secret Book of Flora Lea was written by a Christy Award recipient and set in London during the Blitz. The book seemed Narnia-like in its potential. Well, fans of Patti Callaghan Henry might be disappointed in her latest novel, mostly because the author seemed confused about who her audience might be.

If you do pick up the book, don’t expect Christian fiction.

In 1939, the British government urges parents to send their children away from London. Bridie Aberdeen and her son Harry invite two evacuees, Hazel and Flora Linden, to live in their picturesque cottage near Oxford. Away from their home, Hazel tells stories to her younger sister, transporting them to a magical land called Whisperwood. The sisters fall in love with the hamlet and find ­refuge from the horrors of war. All is well until little Flora ­disappears, leading everyone to assume that she drowned. Everyone, except Hazel.

Two decades later, Hazel works at a rare book shop, trying to move on with her life. When she discovers a book about Whisperwood, it ­confirms her hope that Flora might have survived.

Because of its emphasis on magic and fairy tales, young adults would be the ones most likely to enjoy the book. It has a clever plot and includes off-handed references to beloved stories like The Hobbit and Alice in Wonderland. But there are too many swear words and sex scenes (a couple of them rather detailed), to the extent that I couldn’t recommend this book for any teens. I wouldn’t recommend it for adults either. Henry missed the mark for both age groups by trying for a combination of The Chronicles of Narnia and a romantic comedy.

Even women who enjoy light reads might find this one annoying. In one scene, a grown man tells his sweetheart: “You are my fairytale. You always have been.”

Oh, and the Christians are definitely the bad guys, while “Pagans” have an open-minded perspective about the world. Overall, the book lacks a satisfying redemptive arc.