Millie Bobby Brown's Nineteen Steps novel is gut-wrenching ode to family history
Millie Bobby Brown, probably best known for her role in Netflix's hit drama Stranger Things, has released her debut novel today (September 12). The reaction pre-release on Bookstagram and BookTok has been mixed, with some praising the 19-year-old for taking such a bold step in her career, but others taking a more critical stance, saying that the only reason that she'd managed to get a coveted book deal is due to her celebrity status.
But those lucky enough to get their hands on an ARC (that's an Advance Reader Copy if you didn't know) have been praising the novel, saying "it really draws you in", and they were "hooked from the very first page", and some super fans even sharing that they're "really proud of her." And I was no different. When I first heard what the book was about, admittedly I was sceptical because war fiction isn't usually my thing - but I was more than pleasantly surprised with Millie's effort.
What makes the book even more interesting is the fact that it's based on her own family experiences. Written with the help of Kathleen McGurl, Nineteen Steps is a historical novel set in London during World War II following Nellie Morris, an 18-year-old girl trying to navigate growing up into a woman during the war. The novel draws on inspiration from the stories Millie's grandmother Ruth told her. Ruth was a survivor of the 1943 Bethnal Green tube incident, which left 173 dead and dozens injured. According to the BBC, it was shockingly the single largest loss of civilian life during World War II in the UK. Millie said that she was "honoured" to keep her grandma's story alive.
Nellie meets Ray, an American airman stationed nearby and they begin getting to know each other - but just as things are looking up, an air raid changes everything - and not in the way you'd expect. In an Instagram post, Millie explained the book "is a historical novel about an amazing, courageous 18-year-old woman called Nellie Morris, who lives with her family in Bethnal Green, in London's East End, while the second world war rages on around them. When a tragic accident occurs during an air raid one night, the consequences are catastrophic - and life will never be the same again for Nellie."
And the title of the book holds much more significance than you could ever imagine - the Nineteen Steps themselves are such a pivotal part of the book, and you won't even realise it until you're at the jaw-dropping moments where everything becomes clear. The book was written in quite a simplistic way, but I feel this was necessary so it was easy for the reader to follow, as there were so many details that could've become lost in flowery language. Millie and Kathleen did a great job at keeping the romance front and centre, whilst also highlighting the importance of the other parts of the story. It was all woven together in a masterful way.
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This novel will make you swoon, laugh, and even cry, because some parts are truly devastating, especially when you remember it's based on true events - I definitely shed a tear or two at one point. It's thought-provoking and easy to read - one to pop on your cosy autumn TBR pile.
Nineteen Steps can be purchased from Amazon for £8.49.
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