The Elephant Of Belfast
- 336 pages
- 12 hours of reading
The story unfolds during the Belfast Blitz, a seven-month period marked by unexpected German bombings of Belfast, Northern Ireland. Through the eyes of twenty-year-old zookeeper Hettie Quin at Bellevue Zoo, the narrative explores the profound impact of war on the lives of Belfast's citizens. In October 1940, Hettie meets Violet, a three-year-old Asian elephant arriving from Ceylon, and becomes her devoted caretaker. As Hettie navigates her personal grief over the loss of her sister Anna and the abandonment by her father Thomas, the city faces devastation. On April 15, 1941, Belfast endures a brutal five-hour attack, resulting in 674 bombs and nearly a thousand civilian deaths. Amidst the chaos and rising sectarian tensions, Hettie fights to protect Violet while grappling with the destruction around her. By the novel's conclusion, Hettie has matured significantly, her outlook forever altered by the tragedies she has witnessed. The narrative weaves a rich tapestry of loss, love, and resilience, illustrating the intertwined fates of a young woman and her elephant. Ultimately, while it appears Hettie saves Violet, it is Violet who ultimately saves Hettie, highlighting the transformative power of their bond amidst the horrors of war.
