The War I Finally Won

Ada has finally gotten the surgery to fix her foot. The surgery she should have had as a baby. If she had had a mother who cared. Now, maybe she can really start living. But not all scars and injuries are as visible as her foot was. As the year progresses, Ada must learn to deal with her hidden hurts. She must also navigating moving into the cottage on the Thornton's estate with Susan and her brother. As the hiccups and hurts of life and the continuing world war come her way, can Ada learn to truly live, can she ever catch up in common knowledge that was kept from her, and can she lay down some of the heavy burdens she no longer needs to carry?

If you haven't read the first book in this series, don't even think of starting with this one. It wouldn't be right. Once you've gotten Ada through that first book, then you have license to crack the cover on this. And you'll then be able to fully appreciate all the victories, big and small, Bradley starts off with before tackling some of the bigger challenges. I came very close to crying happy tears for Ada and her healing in those first few chapters, and I pretty much NEVER cry over books (or movies or TV shows). So if you cry during Hallmark commercials you're going to need multiple boxes of tissues on hand for this read. Anyway, it's a beautiful opening. Then they must deal with the ongoing war, deciding how to handle some unexpected housemates (one local, and one a German refugee). Ada is still constantly discovering how much she doesn't know. Bradley has done an amazing job of imagining what it would be like for someone who was pretty much cut off from the world for the first decade of their life. It's superb writing. She also did a splendid job in this of slowly, slowly peeling back the layers on some of Ada's deeper hurts. Many of them she doesn't put a name to or expressly point out, but readers should catch on. It's a great read for understanding anxiety in kids and how damaged kids can have a long road until they can fully trust again. A spectacular historical read, but an even better read for the emotional journey Ada and others walk through.

Notes on content: No language issues. No sexual content. There's one fall from a tree and a broken bone somewhat described. Deaths in the war are mentioned. One plane crash victim is witnessed by a character who then vomits and goes into shock. (The victim isn't described to readers but it is still powerful for the effect it has.)

wow. I didn't think anything could be better than the first book but I received my copy yesterday and didn't put it down. Tears started falling pretty quickly- there is so much poignancy to this story. Just so much. I read it straight through and loved, loved the evolution of Ada. Thank you, Ms. Brubaker Bradley. Just thank you. Now I'll share it with my children who were enthralled by the first book. It's a story of understanding and resilience and...lots of contemplation

This is a marvelous sequel to the award-winning The War That Saved My Life. Ada has just gotten her club foot surgically repaired in the beginning of this new novel. Due to their home being destroyed, Ada and her brother along with Susan, their guardian, must move into a small cottage on the land owned by Lady and Lord Thornton. As World War II continues, they face food shortages, hard work, and then are asked to house a German refugee while Susan teaches her math. Though her foot is fixed, Ada continues to wrestle with her disability and how it factored in to her mother’s abuse. Once again horses are on the scene to help with healing, both physical and mental, as unlikely friendships and bonds are formed in a small cottage.

Bradley writes books that don’t just draw you in, they captivate you. It was so wonderful to return to Ada’s story and find out what happens to beloved characters. In this sequel, more is shown of the stern Lady Thornton and Bradley demonstrates that with more knowledge comes more understanding. Ada continues to be a dynamic character, never easy with life or her own role in it. And yet as Ada is prickly and abrupt, she is also warm and inquisitive, looking for answers and asking questions.

Bradley wrestles with dark themes in both of the novels in this series. There is the physical and mental abuse that Ada suffered at the hands of her mother. There is the ongoing war that threatens everyone’s safety. There is the loss of beloved characters due to that war. Still, she also shines hope. Hope for progress forward, for learning more, for accepting differences and for building friendships. The tension between all of this is remarkably well-handled and creates a book that is riveting to read.

A sequel that is just as good as the first, get this into the hands of fans. Appropriate for ages 9-12.

I loved this story. Even though it takes place in WWII England and follows the characters through the challenges that come in wartime the real war faced is the one each is fighting in their own hearts. Whether that is Ada fighting to overcome the emotional effects of unnecessary physical disability, Susan learning who she is again and creating a new life for her and the children, or the Thorntons who's whole world is changing while they try to keep up.
Each of us have our personal battles that we fight. Somedays we feel we're down in the trenches and might never see victory but everyone can find hope and healing with friends and family who support and encourage. This is the message of the story. We get the sense of that in the first book but as the war deepens and changes the lives of each of the characters in difference way it feel like a home run. They finally get there and the getting there is oh so good.
Definitely a book that will enter my regular rotation.

After reading, and loving, The War That Saved My Life I worried that the sequel would not live up to my expectations. I was wrong. This second book continues the beautiful and sometimes heartbreaking story of Ada, Jamie, Susan and the other residents of a small English village seamlessly. The first book left me wanting to visit these people again. I was so happy to be able to see how their story all came together. I read the first book as a favor to my daughter who is a sixth grade teacher. I often read books that she may recommend to her students. These two books are certainly worthwhile reading for middle school students as well as older students and adults. While enjoying the personal lives of the characters, there is a history we learn of about England and it's struggles to survive during World War 2. We get to see the strength of the human spirit. We see the coming together of people, young and old, all for the common good. This book and The War That Saved My Life are books I thoroughly enjoyed. I look forward to sharing them with my children and grandchildren.

Susan adopts orphans Ada and Jamie and their cat Bovil. Through the generosity of Lord and Lady Thorton, Susan is able to them from war torn London to a cottage in the Kent countryside. When the military takes control of the Thorton mansion, the Lord and Lady moved into the cottage with them. When Ruth, a young refugee joins the group, talk turns to religion, whether she is a German spy, and what being Jewish in Germany means. The complex relationships are appropriate to the age, gender, and environment. Although this book is a sequel to “The War That Saved My Life”, you do not need to read the first book.

I received this book through a Goodreads giveaway. Although encouraged, I was under no obligation to write a review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

The War I Finally Won ,by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley, is the sequel to The War That Saved my Life. The War I Finally Won is about a eleven year old girl, Ada, who lived with a clubfoot for her whole life and and is going to get surgery to fix it. She is living during World War II and is with her little brother Jamie, her legal guardian Susan, Lady Thorton and her daughter Maggie. Then, Maggie’s father comes home one day from the Airforce, and is not alone. He is accompanied by a Jewish girl Ruth, which is from Germany during World War II! What will happen next with a German in the house, and a war going on?
This book is full of emotions. It can make you experience heartbreak, it is upbeat, and it has many hard to describe emotions. This book is realistic but is also fiction.
Kimberly Brubaker Bradley has won many awards for her most famous books, including For Freedom, Jefferson’s Sons, The War That Saved my Life, and The War I Finally Won.The voice of the author makes you feel like you are there, and can be serious every now and then. I also think the voice of the author can be boring, but the book is honestly fabulous. This book is incomparable to all the books I read!

This sequel to "The War That Saved My Life" picks up literally just as the first book ends, with 11-year-old war orphan Ada and her 6-year-old brother Jamie continuing to adjust to life with their guardian Susan.

Having been forced to live with a clubfoot since birth, Ada is finally getting her life-altering operation. Meanwhile, the trio is also adjusting to living with Lady Thorton, who was forced to leave her estate when soldiers took over, as well as Ruth, a Jewish refugee from Germany..

Through Ada's eyes, Bradley takes readers through another year of the war from the British perspective. As Ada grows older, she begins to understand that war isn't always black and white, as there are hardships and losses on both sides.

The highly anticipated sequel to THE WAR THAT SAVED MY LIFE was even better than I could have ever hoped! Brubaker has crafted a novel with such insights into war time life in England (WWll) and created characters that I truly came to love and care about. She weaves a beautiful, yet subtle love story into the plot that is courageous and tender that makes this novel even more special. Readers of TWIFW who were afraid this book could not live up to the greatness of the first...get ready to be carried back to England for a fantastic tale that won't disappoint! She doesn't sugar coat the ravages of war, but finds ways to keep hope alive.
I can not recommend this book enough!

Having read Kimberly's first book, I was prepared for the storyline. It began rather slowly, but picked up momentum with numerous twists and turns I'd never have guessed. I'm a retired teacher who would have linked my curriculum council and board of education to have this in my sixth grade classroom based on its historical merits.

Ada and Jamie are still living with Susan, but have moved into a cottage on Lord and Lady Thornton's estate after Becky's home was destroyed in WW II bombing. Ada cannot trust her happier life after her foot surgery, but as time passes, events in her life help Ada realize that she is loved and lovable. The sequel to The War That Saved My Life, The War I Finally Won is unforgettable.

I loved reading the first book in this series. This sequel did not disappoint me. This book is a wonderful one to use to study character traits. It will also open up the readers' understanding of major consequences that children faced during this period of history.

This is a wonderful well written story depicting life in England during World War II. It tells of how war and deprivation can have positive outcomes as people struggle to find meaning in life as it changes. It is a good read for almost any age. It follows "The War That Saved My Life" with a continue of the story of two children who did not know how to be children in war. Stephanie J.

Continuing the story of Ada, we find that her foot is fixed, but she has so much more to learn about navigating the world. There is so much she doesn't understand, but her Susan and Maggie are by her side.

Satisfying ending, tying up a lot of loose ends from the first book. I have both of these books in my Middle School library, where they are both quite popular.

This book should be read by everyone. There is such depth, breadth, and beauty in this tender exploration of innocence and shame that all I will say is read the story -- you will not be disappointed. The sequel is equally excellent and profound. My eleven year old and I savored them and we look forward to when we read them again, aloud, for all the joy of a great story and all the great dialogue it inspires.

So my daughter was reading this book because she wanted to continue with the series, and she could not get her face out of the pages!!! She loved everything about the book, and trust me, she is hard to shop for. She lobed all the descriptive sentances and the main story. After she read it for the next two days she could not stop talking about this book.

For her it is the best book on earth.

Excellent book! Be sure to read The War that Saved My Life first. This book is a favorite book to check out in my 4/5 classroom. My 13 year old son read it as well and LOVED it. Great read and you won't want to put it down.

The continuation of Ada’s story. From a background of 10 years abuse she finally achieves a state of love and trust with Susan! As good as The first (The War that Saved My Life) the author plots Ada’s step by step recovery with meticulous care and detail.

Just finished this book with my two daughters age 8 and 10. We had lots of themes to discuss. The history was also interesting to the girls and told st a level that kept their interest and was not overwhelmin.

This book is extraordinary. Apart from dealing with a fascinating and under-represented aspect of war, the depth of emotional intelligence makes it educational, uplifting and a contribution to how one sees others. Beautifully written and very moving. For 11-year-olds on up.

Very well written, easy read, but touches many deep topics, the story of love and of courage. I loved it myself and my 13yo son also really liked it. It became our family evening reading for many a nights. Would certainly recommend it for young teens and up

[warning this may includ spoilers]
Ada gets her foot fixed and moves to a home on the thorton estate ruth a jew comes to live with her so susun can thch her math and this is an a awesom book it was better then the first book so if you are thinking about geting this book i would highly recamend it

LOVE,
ME

Beautifully written, The War I Finally Won is the sequel to The War that saved my Life. Though the story begins with Ada finally having surgery to fix her club her foot, her emotional scars run much deeper. Set in the English countryside during WWII, the struggles, hardships, rationing, and common loss help Ada heal and learn to love and trust again.

This book is soooooooooo good! I read The War That Saved My Life and loved it, then I found out about this book. I wish that there was another book in the series, but that’s probably not gonna happen. Still the best book ever ( besides Harry Potter)