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Sleeping Through War Kindle Edition

by Jackie Carreira (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 22 ratings
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Set against the backdrop of real, world-changing events, these are the stories that are forgotten in the history books.


The year is 1968 and the world is changing forever. During the month of May, students are rioting and workers are striking across the globe, civil rights are being fought and died for, nuclear bombs are being tested, there are major conflicts on every continent, and war is raging in Vietnam. Against this volatile background, three women strive to keep everything together.

Rose must keep her dignity and compassion as a West Indian nurse in East London. Amalia must keep hoping that her son can escape their seedy life in Lisbon. And Mrs Johnson in Washington DC must keep writing to her son in Vietnam. She has no-one else to talk to. Three different women, three different countries, but all striving to survive - a courageous attitude that everybody can relate to.

Although Sleeping Through War is a work of fiction, this somewhat hidden history attempts to humanise a few weeks in time that were so stuffed with monumental events that it’s easy to forget the people involved. The author was a child in 1968 and lived in London and Lisbon during the 1960s. She met women like these and didn’t want their voices to go unheard into the future. Readers of both history and literary fiction will enjoy this emotionally-vivid work that weaves fiction into fact.
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  1. Print length
    233 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  4. Publication date
    January 9, 2018
  5. File size
    351 KB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  9. See all details
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Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B078XF7351
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Matador (January 9, 2018)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ January 9, 2018
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 351 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 233 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 22 ratings

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
22 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Luke James
5.0 out of 5 stars Those left behind
Reviewed in the United States on July 21, 2023
A powerful weaving of fact and fiction centered around the experiences of three women who struggle to deal with love ones who are away at war. An important book.
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Steph Warren
4.0 out of 5 stars Three separate stories, linked by the theme of everyday womanhood
Reviewed in the United States on September 9, 2018
*I received a free copy of this book with thanks to the author and Rachel Gilbey at Rachel’s Random Resources blog tours. The decision to review and my opinions are my own.*

Sleeping Through War is told to a backdrop of war and rebellion, but is the quiet, intimate story of what it is to be a woman.

Jackie Carreira takes the lives of three ‘ordinary’, different women and invites us in to their struggles, their joys and sorrows, their moments of contemplation and impulses to action.

There is a haunting stillness to the prose and pace, so that even as turmoil occurs in the plot, we still get a sense of strength and beauty as the women face their everyday lives with painful dignity (Amalia), practical compassion (Rose) and an achingly lonely bravery (Mrs Johnson).

The three accounts are distinct not only in their setting and characters, but in the style of narrative, with Amalia’s story told in omniscient third-person style, Rose’s as a first-person account (either a memoir or oral retelling), and Mrs Johnson’s mainly through her correspondence to her soldier son. Despite these different perspectives the author binds the reader tightly to each woman with the intimate minutiae of her thoughts, feelings and actions.

There are a few heart-wrenching moments along the way, relating to motherhood, loss and sacrifice that had me shedding a few tears for all of the characters involved, and there were a couple of twists that I hadn’t seen coming.

Mainly though this is a glimpse into the miracle of women, ordinary women, just doing what they need to do. Making it through their lives, looking out for others, and trying to find a little kindness to spare for themselves as they go.

‘Ricardo could sleep through war,’ she thought, rising from the sofa. A thick cotton, floral curtain had separated her makeshift bed from the rest of the room and she slid it back quietly to walk through it and towards the bedroom door. Amalia moved with a tired kind of grace, slowly and smoothly around the shadows of the room: table and chairs and squat sideboard with lamp. The door opened with a low moan and she pushed it gently, just enough to poke her head inside. Sure enough, Ricardo was fast asleep; one arm under his pillow, sheet twisted around his smooth, slender legs, and his face turned away from the splashes of red that invaded the walls of his room too.
‘My beautiful boy,’ she whispered, ‘dream us some luck,’ and closed the door gently to leave him alone in his dreams.

– Jackie Carreira, Sleeping Through War

Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog
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R. R.
5.0 out of 5 stars Poignant and moving
Reviewed in the United States on September 9, 2018
I wasn’t really sure what to expect when I first began reading Sleeping Through War by Jackie Carreira. I knew going in that the story centers around three women during a very volatile time in history all throughout the world. I expected perhaps that all three women would be connected somehow, but that is not the case here and I am rather glad for it. Each of the three women in this story has a distinctive voice, but they all have one thing in common. They are all learning and doing what they need to do in order to survive in 1968.

Amalia is living in Lisbon with her young son, Carlos. She is a widow after losing her husband five years prior. Amalia wants the best life for Carlos and she makes many sacrifices in order to give him the life he deserves. Money is tight and sewing isn’t enough money to live on. So, she makes the biggest sacrifice of all in order to survive with her son. I really took to Amelia’s story. I don’t think there is anything a mother would not do for their child/children. Amalia is that mother. She does what it takes just to get by even if it means giving a little piece of herself along the way.

Rose is a nurse in an elderly care facility in London. She hails from St Lucia, where she left her parents and siblings. She is caring and treats people with kindness. Something that is not always shown to her in return. She also becomes a surrogate mother to her neighbor, Brenda and Brenda’s young daughter often checking in on the both of them and offering her advice and a friendly ear. Rose may not have much but she is very giving and warm hearted. Rose may have been my favorite character of the three women. For Rose, it was a different time in the 60’s and people of color were not readily accepted in society by everyone. I don’t think she ever let it bother her all that much, though. Rose is just grateful that she has a job as a nurse, a few friends, and enough money to pay her rent and be on her own.

Mrs. Johnson is a mother living in Washington, D.C. Her son is overseas fighting in Vietnam during the war. She writes heartfelt letters to her son daily where she pours out her whole heart and soul. She keeps him informed about what is going on at home and what she sees on the news. I am not a parent so I can only imagine the fear and anxiety any mother would go through knowing their child is fighting in a war. I couldn’t help but feel compassion for Mrs. Johnson and also an understanding of how these letters she writes makes her feel connected to her son.

Intweaved throughout each of their stories are historically accurate snippets that bring you back to a time in our history and show just what it was like to live in 1968. I felt it really showed what each of the characters were going through during this time period and reminded us that these women were living through this every single day. It was such a time of uncertainty and you can feel it through each of their stories.

Sleeping through War is a beautifully told story that is both poignant and moving. It grips you right from the beginning and you can’t help feeling for each of these women and what they are going through. Although their stories are quite different, they all struggle in their own way. This story is simply told but has so much meaning behind it. I really treasured every moment of reading it.
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Top reviews from other countries

JP Davis
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent read!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 7, 2018
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Excellent book with three great stories; all weaving their way almost randomly through a few tumultuous weeks in the late 1960's. An American mother writes letters to her conscript son in Vietnam; a widow prostitutes herself to a corrupt official in a soon to be post-colonial Portugal; and a black Caribbean nurse works in a London old people’s home. And the connection? They each care. They care very deeply for somebody who almost plays a peripheral role in the book, but generates a sense of happiness, mixed with sadness and closure when the women finally let them go. And as a 'value added' extra, the reader is reminded how still famous historical events tick by with almost no impact on the lives of most of the world. I definitely recommend!
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Dez Staunton
5.0 out of 5 stars An Absolute Must
Reviewed in Australia on November 5, 2020
Verified Purchase
This is a brilliant book written by a brilliant author, musician and humanitarian. If you're looking for a good read to help get you through the lockdown, then this should do the trick.
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Sue
4.0 out of 5 stars Good read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 9, 2018
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Couldn't wait to see what happened in the end very moving
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Huw Chapman
5.0 out of 5 stars Different times
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 5, 2018
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A promising debut novel which I heard of through my local bookshop. I like to give new authors a go and was not disappointed. Short and sweet are the words that come to mind, although bittersweet might be a better word. Three convincingly written women's stories are told so sparingly and succinctly., no page is wasted. Like all my favourite books, it seems, this is an historical (although within living memory) setting with lots of meaty information interspersed with snapshots of people's lives. I like to learn facts as well as what makss the characters tick. A book I was genuinely sad to finish. I look forward to more.
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BigDebs
5.0 out of 5 stars their hardships and their grief and I celebrated their small victories and moments of happiness and contentment
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 13, 2018
Verified Purchase
The stories of these 3 women, living through the same time period but in very different circumstances really captured my imagination. I felt invested in their challenges, their hardships and their grief and I celebrated their small victories and moments of happiness and contentment. It was refreshing to look at this period of history through a different lens (a woman's lens) and I would highly recommend this book as a great read.
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