Even If I Perish

Title: Even If I Perish

Author: Terrie Todd

Publisher: Mountain Brook Ink

Genre: Historical Fiction, Christian Fiction, WWII

Source: Author Provided

My Review:

Even if I Perish is told through a mix of letters and the character's perspective. It is based on the true accounts of Mary Cornish during WWII, and the CORB program that sent children from England to other countries. It is a harrowing story of loss, devastation, determination, and faith.

“Each of us has a different path to follow, but each of us can be used greatly by God when we’re willing to lay down our fragile security for the sake of others."

When Mary decides to volunteer with the CORB program, her sister Eileen tries to guilt her into not doing it. However, Mary felt called by God to do this, and a sermon about Queen Esther confirms her calling.

“When things go wrong as they often will,” he (Mr. Shakespeare) said, “remember you are British and grin and bear it.”

This story is captivating and emotional. I teared up, I got goose bumps, and I was horrified by certain events. Mary's courage and perseverance during the hardest trial of her life is encouraging and so hard to fathom. I can't imagine being in her circumstances, nor can I picture how I would handle it. I do praise God that I will not experience the exact trial that she did.

While the author took some creative liberties, she stayed true to Mary's story, and it was fascinating to read (and again, horrifying). This story is incredibly well-written, and I highly recommend it for fans of historical fiction (no romance). 

Thank you to the author for the opportunity to read this book. I was not required to provide a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

★★★★/5

Synopsis (Goodreads):  

Based on a miraculous true story of courage in the face of impossible odds.

"If I perish, I perish." A sermon based on Queen Esther's famous words spurs music teacher Mary Cornish to action. She volunteers to escort a group of 15 girls from England to Canada as part of Britain's World War II child evacuation program.

All is well aboard the SS City of Benares until September 17, 1940. With a storm brewing in the North Atlantic, a German U-boat releases its torpedo and breaches the ship's hull. Do the Nazis know ninety children are on board?

In the scramble to save as many lives as possible, Mary lands in a crowded lifeboat as the only female among crew members, passengers, and six young boys. In the storm's aftermath, two things soon become crystal clear: that Lifeboat 12 has become separated from all the others, and that Mary has been placed here for such a time as this--even if she perishes.