Good Old Anna

"Good Old Anna" by Marie Belloc Lowndes is a story that looks at what happens before World War I, mainly through Mrs. Otway and her German servant, Anna, whom she feels very fondly towards. The book starts right when England declares war on Germany, which makes Mrs. Otway question what she should do about Anna, who has been a loyal part of her family for eighteen years. In the beginning, Mrs. Otway talks with Miss Forsyth about Anna's future now that there is a war. Miss Forsyth thinks Anna should go back to Germany, but Mrs. Otway strongly disagrees because she cares deeply for Anna. As the women talk, they show different ideas about loyalty, country, and friendship, all while the big changes of the war are about to change their lives and they have to face the tensions between cultures in a world that's changing fast.