This book really got to me. I couldn't read it before going to sleep at night, because if I did, I couldn't sleep. I'd wake up in the night and think about it. And I didn't want to read the ending. Sometimes when I book is really good you just don't want it to end, but in this case, I was actually afraid to read the ending. I sensed how it might end, and I didn't think I could bear to read it. Why did this book affect me so? I have no idea, but I felt on the verge of tears through much of it. Does that make it a good book? I think if any book makes you think the way this one did, it's a great book, and I'm desperate for someone to read it so they can talk me down. BT, please?
The book is about World War I. I've read piles of books about WWII, but none about this war. The characters are young English soldiers, and the descriptions of the war are chilling and incredibly sad. The main character, Tristan, is gay and is banished from his home in his teens. He joins the war effort when he's just 17. During his basic training he meets Will and they form a close friendship. This relationship forms the basis of the book and is very complex and complicated. Have you read it yet, BT? Hurry, OK? - June
1 comment:
Perhaps June's reticence in completing this book helped me finish without trauma, although I do agree that Tristan has to be one of the saddest characters ever. His shame and humiliation and regret tie him in knots of self-loathing and that is always tough to "witness" -- even if you don't know the sufferer.
I think this is a brilliant piece of literature and I recommend it highly!
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