The Celestial Looking Glass

Ray Drayton

Hazard Press

Otago Daily Times, June 26th 2005

Ray Drayton wrote The Celestial Looking Glass as a tribute to those who fought in World War II. A young reporter, Alison, discovers the secret past of her beloved grandmother, Madeleine, who was a Resistance fighter in France. She retraces Madeleine’s footsteps to the French battlefields in search of Madeleine’s first husband, fellow Resistance fighter Francois, only to find herself caught up in a series of coincidences which make her realise she is more like her grandmother than she realised.

Although Alison’s journey of self-discovery is unconvincing, the descriptions of Madeleine’s training and wartime experiences are extraordinary and gripping. The details of the training and the immense bravery of the fighters are fascinating. The meaningless snuffing out of life is detailed in such a way as to convey a real sense of the horrors of war. In this respect, Drayton has composed a fitting memorial to those who lived and died in the name of freedom.