As if her brain that can open interdimensional portals and solve mysteries isn’t already impressive enough, Millie Bobby Brown is now showcasing her storytelling talents in her debut novel Nineteen Steps. Deadline reports that the novel will be published this fall by William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins. According to the publisher, the “epic story of love, loss, and secrets” is set in World War II and follows 18-year-old Nellie Morris who lives with her family in Berenthal Range. After a chance encounters with an American airman stationed nearby, an incident during an air raid reaps catastrophic consequences. The 19-year-old Enola Holmes and Stranger Things star said in a statement, “Inspired by my Nanny Ruth, this book is very personal and close to my heart. I grew up listening to stories about her time living through the war. I’m honored to keep her story alive.”
Credit: Netflix via 20Minutos
Millie Bobby Brown Touches On Historic War Tragedy in Debut Novel “Nineteen Steps’
Millie Bobby Brown’s novel Nineteen Steps is inspired by her grandmother who survived the Bethnal Green Tube Disaster, the worst UK civilian disaster of World War II. Regularly used by up to 7,000 Londoners as shelter during bombing raids, 1500 locals hurried to the shelter when the sirens began on March 3rd. However, no one was on duty and only one door was open. Mistaking the sounds of new anti-aircraft guns in nearby Victoria Park for enemy bombs, the panicked crowd surged forward to force their way in. The result was a crushing that resulted in 173 people, including 62 children, dying from asphyxiation.
The actress who first came to our attention in Stranger Things apparently has a knack for storytelling. Brown’s editor Liz Stein said of Nineteen Steps, “I was incredibly moved by the haunting, true tragedy at the core of the novel and enchanted by the unforgettable portrait of love in the time of war.”
Millie Bobby Brown’s debut novel Nineteen Steps will publish on Sept. 12.
