Review number two 5*****

A clear and colourful picture is painted of the apparent gap between the working class and landowner class in the early 1900\’s during the lull before WW1. Everyday life seems quaintly important to folk in a small English village. However, Alex soon takes us into the weird world of war. We experience very easily each character\’s feelings of those dreadful horrors, especially the deep fear, filth and exhaustion of life in and around the battlefields. Through our own emotions, we inevitably discover the irony of war – how people can come together to help each other across the classes.
I love the way Alex stirs up some choppy waves then carries us on the journey so we feel for ourselves the contrast between normal peacetime life and the stupidity of war. It finally makes us ponder on why most of us haven\’t yet grasped the notion that people aren\’t that different from each other. There\’s some beautiful writing in this thoughtful and thought-provoking book.

 

Review number two – and very thoughtful it is too!