Carrie's War

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Carrie's War is a 1973 novel by Nina Bawden about the experiences of a girl named Carrie and her brother Nick, who are evacuated from London to Wales during World War II.

"Carrie had often dreamed about coming back. And in Carrie's dream she was always running, running away from the house, and away from the fingers that reached out for her, plucking at her hair and skirt as she ran..."

1 Plot introduction
2 Major themes
3 Awards and nominations
4 Film, TV or theatrical adaptations
5 External links

[edit] Plot introduction

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

Bombs were falling on London. Carrie and Nick were wartime evacuees billeted in Wales on old Mr Evans, who was a bit of an ogre, and his timid mouse of a sister. Their friend Albert was luckier, living in Druid's Bottom with Hepzibah Green and the strange Mister Johnny, and Carrie and Nick were happy to visit him there, until Carrie did a terrible thing, the worst thing she ever did in her life...

For thirty years Carrie did not speak of Druid's Bottom, and it is left to Carrie's own children to unravel the mystery of that time and its legacy of fear and silence. Gradually the story unfolds.. of the strange inhabitants of Druid's Bottom and of the awesome power of an ancient curse. "Nick was frightened of ogres and spiders and crabs and cold water and the dentist and dark nights, but he wasn't often frightened of people. And he wasn't afraid of Mr Evans, even after that first dreadful night, because Mr Evans had false teeth that clicked when he talked."

[edit] Major themes

Bawden based the book on her own childhood experiences. She was originally evacuated to South Wales herself with her mother and brothers. In the novel Carrie is sent away with her brother, Nick, to stay with Mr. Evans, a strict and God-fearing man.

[edit] Awards and nominations

In 1993, Carrie's War won the Phoenix Award, which is awarded annually to a book originally published twenty years previously without having received a major award at that time (in this case, 1973).

[edit] Film, TV or theatrical adaptations

Carrie's War has been adapted twice for television by the BBC, first in 1974, and then again in 2004. The original 1974 version starred Juliet Waley as Carrie. The more recent 2005 BBC version (broadcast in America on PBS - Masterpiece Theatre in 2006) starred Keeley Fawcett as Carrie, Alun Armstrong as Mr. Evans, Geraldine McEwan as Mrs. Gotobed, and Pauline Quirke as Hepzibah.