Immersive historical fiction set in an English tourist town just post World War I, as a competent young woman, a naturalized German citizen, and a now-disabled fighter from the upper class try to find their places in a changing world that's still chock full of classism, sexism, ableism and bigotry. Well drawn, lovable characters, lively action, and some slow-burn romance make it very much my cup of tea, but I was thrown by the ending (cont.)
#WhereAreYouMonday I'm in post WWI England - twice, since I'm also reading The Secret Adversary. It's a rough time but perhaps things are looking up.
pickNot sure I‘d find a book I loved more than The Great Believers this year but this may just have pipped it. If you loved Yale Tishman in The Great Believers then be prepared to adore Sidney Ellwood. This book is a love story set mainly in the trenches of WW1. The battle scenes are graphic and the author makes no apologies for bringing the brutality of trench warfare to life but the moments between are tender and full of a forbidden love. Read it!
pickY'all. Katherine Arden is just...magical. So...what if ghost stories and folktales associated with war were real (i.e. what if a fiddler really was on that roof?) This book, like all her books, beautifully weaves folk stories and reality, and I CANNOT get enough of her!
pickI would rate this a pick with caution as this is one I would only recommend to the literary reader. It is told from multiple POVs and jumps back and forth through time, often changing to brand new characters. I found it to be very confusing (I wanted a family tree) and it really should be read more than once. That said, the writing is beautiful and very thought provoking, and each chapter held my interest, but I admit I wanted more. 3.5/5 stars.
A little different. I enjoyed it. Flawed characters who were still likable.
The life journey of a young soldier in World War I, based on the author's experiences.
The book chillingly portrays the contrast between youth and the horrors of war.
The blood, shock, complex trauma, and how it takes over one‘s worldview after the war (PTSD) are conveyed with such precision and simplicity.
A masterpiece!
#Roll100 #FourFoursin25
@PuddleJumper @Laureldhel
(I liked Picket Cricket for this because it fits the conflict between the laborers and the upper classes.)
2h