HT Recommends - WWI in Historical Fiction

Our HT Recommends feature is becoming a regular one at every thematic event we have. As in previous entries we thought it would be interesting to have a post listing the main HF titles where WWI plays a role, be it an important or secondary one. We tried to make an exaustive list and we left out books by contemporary authors on purpose. If you have any HF title dealing with WWI and that we missed do let us know in the comments and we will add it to our list. Enjoy!

Lyn Andrews - Angels of Mercy

Patricia Anthony - Flanders

Pat Barker - Regeneration

Pat Barker - Eye in The Door

Pat Barker - The Ghost Road

Pat Barker - Life Class

Sebastian Barry - A Long, Long Way

Rosalind Belben - Our Horses in Egypt

Maggie Bennett,  - The Carpenter's Children

Emma Blair -  Forget-Me-Not

William Boyd -  An Ice Cream War

Joseph Boyden - Three Day Road

Colin E. Demet -  Iolaire and the Beasts of Holm

Margaret Dickinson -  Suffragette Girl

Robert Dinsdale - The Harrowing

Marc Dugain -  The Officers’ Ward

Helen Dunmore - Zennor in Darkness

Robert Edric - In Desolate Heaven

Nigel Farndale -  The Blasphemer

Sebastian Faulks-  Birdsong

Timothy Findley - The Wars

Thomas J. Fleming - Over There
Ken Follett - Fall of Giants

Mackenzie Ford - Gifts of War

Alexander Fullerton - The Blooding of the Guns

Alexander Fullerton - Sixty Minutes for St.

Alexander Fullerton - Patrol to the Golden

Alexander Fullerton - Flight to Mons

Robert Goddard - In Pale Battalions

Ron Graham - Flight of Youth

Hilary Green - Daughters of War

Hilary Green - Passions of

Philippa Gregory - Fallen Skies

Jessica Gregson - The Angel Makers

Nicholas Griffin - Dizzy City
Paul Gross - Passchendaele

Ray Grover - March to the Sound of the Guns

Rosie Harris - Whispers of Love

Cynthia Harrod- Eagles - The White Road

Cynthia Harrod- Eagles - The Burning Roses

Cynthia Harrod- Eagles - The Measure of Days

Cynthia Harrod- Eagles - The Foreign Field

Cynthia Harrod- Eagles - The Fallen Kings
Jaroslav Hasek - The Good Soldier Svejk

Susan Hill - Strange Meeting

Audrey Howard - Whispers on The Water

Audrey Howard - All The Night Ends

Audrey Howard - All The Dear Faces

Jonathan Hull - Losing Julia

Meg Hutchinson - Friendship's Bond

June Hutton - Underground
Frances Itani - Deafening

Reina James - This Time of Dying

Marjorie Jones - The Lighthorseman

Guy Jonhson - Standing at The Scratch Line

Maureen Lee - Martha's Journey

Elizabeth Lord - All That We Are

Tom Keneally - Daughter of Mars

John MacNintch - The Brother Keepers

Kevin Major - No Man's Land

David Malouf - Fly Away Peter

Henning Mankell - Depths

James Meek - The People's Act of Love

Deborah Moggach - In The Dark

Alan Monaghan - The Soldier's Song

Alan Monaghan - The Soldier's Return
Jojo Moyes - The Girl You Left Behind

Anton Myrer - Once An Eagle

Pamela Oldfield - Loving and Losing

Heather Parkinson - Accross Open Ground

Michelle Paver - The Serpent's Tooth

Anne Perry - No Graves As Yet

Anne Perry - Shoulder The Sky

Anne Perry - Angels in The Gloom

Anne Perry - At Some Disputed Barricade

Anne Perry - We Shall Not Sleep

Richard Powers - Three Farmers on Their Way to A Dance
Ron Rash - The Cove

Robert Radcliffe - Across the Blood-Red Skies

Piers Paul Read - Alice in Exile

Douglas Reeman - The Last Raider

Douglas Reeman - The Horizon

Derek Robinson - The Goshawk Squadron

Derek Robinson - War Story

Derek Robinson - Hornet's Sting

Phillip Rock - The Passing Bells

Phillip Rock - Circles of Time

Phillip Rock - A Future Arrived

Robert Ryan - Empire of Sand

Jeff Shaara - To The Last Man

Danny Scheinmann - Random Acts of Heroic Love

David Semmel - 11th of Av

Susan Sherman - The Little Russian

Jody Shields - The Crimson Portrait

Richard Skinner - The Red Dancer: The Life and Times of Mata-Hari

Wilbur Smith - The Burning Shore

Nick Stafford - Armistice

Fred Stemme - The Liutenant's Whistle

Charles Todd - A Duty to The Dead

Charles Todd - An Impartial Witness
Charles Todd - A Bitter Truth
Charles Todd - An Unmarked Grave
Barbara Tuchman - The Guns of August

Penny Vicenzi - No Angel

Kate Walbert - A Short History of Women

Paul Watkins - In the Blue Light of African Dreams

Gene Wilder - My French Whore

Beatriz Williams - Overseas
John Wilson - And In The Morning
Jacqueline Winspear - Maisie Dobbs ( see also Maisie Dobbs )
Jacqueline Winspear - Birds of a Feather  ( see also Birds of a Feather )
Jacqueline Winspear -  Pardonable Lies  ( see also Pardonable Lies )
Peter Yeldham - Barbed Wire and Roses 

 Frank Yerby - Tobias and The Angel

Louisa Young - My Dear I Wanted to Tell You

An Unmarked Grave by Charles Todd

An Unmarked Grave (Bess Crawford Series, Book 4) by Charles Todd

Completion Date: June 15, 2012
Reason for Reading: Next book in the series/TLC Book Tour.

World War I nurse and amateur sleuth Bess Crawford matches wits with a devious killer in this exciting and suspenseful adventure from New York Times bestselling author Charles Todd.

In the spring of 1918, the Spanish flu epidemic spreads, killing millions of soldiers and civilians across the globe. Overwhelmed by the constant flow of wounded soldiers coming from the French front, battlefield nurse Bess Crawford must now contend with hundreds of influenza patients as well.

However, war and disease are not the only killers to strike. Bess discovers, concealed among the dead waiting for burial, the body of an officer who has been murdered. Though she is devoted to all her patients, this soldier's death touches her deeply. Not only did the man serve in her father's former regiment, he was also a family friend.

Before she can report the terrible news, Bess falls ill, the latest victim of the flu. By the time she recovers, the murdered officer has been buried, and the only other person who saw the body has hanged himself. Or did he?

Working her father's connections in the military, Bess begins to piece together what little evidence she can find to unmask the elusive killer and see justice served. But she must be as vigilant as she is tenacious. With a determined killer on her heels, each move Bess makes could be her last.

Where this is the 4th book in a series, it makes it harder to talk about it. So, I am going to share some brief thoughts instead.

• I continue to enjoy the setting of this series. I appreciated the fact that there are actual scenes from the home front, but there are also moments from the field.
• Bess is an interesting character. Sometimes I find her a bit too perfect, but ultimately she has grown on me with each book. I like her much more now than I did in the beginning.
• One thing that I can't help thinking about is how every guy that she meets seems to fall in love with her. It's almost getting overdone. It might be time for her to have feelings for a guy, too.
• I really enjoyed how much of Simon there was in this book. I find we are really getting to know him and I really like him. I continue to be curious what role he was play in Bess' future.
• I think this might be my first novel set during the Spanish Influenza. I thought it was an interesting addition to the story. It touched many lives while it was spreading through the ranks.
• This makes me think about how I enjoy the details about WWI that are scattered throughout the books. It talks about gas masks, the dangers of the gases used, etc. It's also more from a medical viewpoint which is different from the norm.
• It is nice that characters from other books are at least mentioned even if they do not appear in the actual book. It gives underlining story-lines. They are always nice.
• My biggest problem with this book, though, was the ending. I actually got confused because I found it was a bit out of left field and very rushed. I am not quite sure I found it believable. It was page-turning, though. It was a mixed reaction ending.
• I look forward to the next book in the series!

Thanks to TLC Book Tours for hosting this tour and for my copy of this book.

Bess Crawford Series:
A Duty to the Dead
An Impartial Witness
A Bitter Truth
An Unmarked Grave

This also means I successfully completed the Bess Crawford Read-Along. I am bad with read-alongs... So big deal! The book counts for the War through the Generations and Historical Fiction Reading Challenges.

A Bitter Truth by Charles Todd

A Bitter Truth (Bess Crawford Series, Book 3) by Charles Todd

Completion Date: June 5, 2012
Reason for Reading: Carry on with the series.

World War One battlefield nurse Bess Crawford is featured for a third time in A Bitter Truth . Bess reaches out to help an abused and frightened young woman, only to discover that no good deed ever goes unpunished when the good Samaritan nurse finds herself falsely accused of murder.

1.) How did A Bitter Truth stack up for you against Bess' previous two adventures?
I always find that I have a hard time initially getting into this series. It has happened with all three books so far, but once I am engrossed in the story things seem to go rather well. I have almost entirely read the three books in one sitting each. I actually think the series is getting better, though. The writing is improving and the overall stories. They are getting to know Bess Crawford better with each book and as a result, the readers is able to get more and more lost in the stories. My one little problem remains, though. I sometimes find Bess Crawford too morally superior. It doesn't always strike me as believable. I know this was different times, but not everyone does the right thing every time. I was amazed when there was a chance for Crawford to do 'the right thing' in this book and instead she did the nicer thing. There are some times where 'the right thing' isn't necessarily the right thing. I think if she had done what her first instinct was in this case I would have lost all respect for her as a character.

2.) I really enjoyed the mystery in this novel, and confess I was quite confounded as to who the killer was, until the very end. How about you?
I think the mystery is where the writing evolution is the most apparent. In the first book I solved the mystery very early on in the story. In this one I was a bit more hesitant about my conclusion. I had theories and kept reading to find out if I was right or not. They are getting better at throwing situations in to make you look in different directions only to find out that it was a 'red herring'. I like being surprised and such, so I am glad things are getting more complicated.

3.) The plight of orphans in the war is brought to the forefront in this novel - what do you think of Lydia's and Bess' feelings and plans for Sophie?
I had a really hard time with my thoughts on this. On the one hand, I agreed with Lydia. But then I had other moments where Bess was more likely right. I think that Sophie should be with her family instead of the nuns, but I understand that the nuns would also be distraught thinking that something had happened to the child. It is an example of Bess' moral superiority. I was left thinking right or wrong, I could not imagine bringing a child out of the horrors of France only to bring her back again. I just couldn't agree with Bess on that issue despite also understanding where she was coming from. I was glad with how things played out because I ultimately thought they were the best for the child at that time. I also appreciated the glimpse at what it was like for orphans of WWI. It is something that gets buried in other aspects of the war experience.

4.) I was struck by the passage in chapter 15, when Todd speaks of the evolution of the war: "The days when men lined up in their dozens to be the first to enlist had long since passed. Now the reality of the trenches had scoured away that bravado, and in its place were these recruits, afraid of shaming themselves in front of their mates but probably wishing themselves anywhere but here." How did you see the war changing people and events in the novel?
When I look back on the two major wars I am always impressed with the men and women that rushed out to join up in the beginning. Especially for WWII because they had often grown up hearing about the first war from their parents and yet they still wanted to fight. I often toy with how I would have felt in the same situation. In the beginning, though, it is the heroic thing to do and a chance to vanquish the enemies. Later on, it is still important but you become more aware of what it is really like and only do so because it is right or because your friends are doing it. Then, there was the idea of the 'white feather'. Citizens would present men of the correct age with a feather branding them as cowards. It made it even harder to stay out of the mix. By the time this book takes place, though, the lustre is off the war. It is dragging on, the death toll is high, and people are attempting to desert which has devastating repercussions if they are caught. Alternatively, they sometimes shoot themselves in certain areas to get necessary leave or get out entirely.

5.) Simon Brandon plays an even greater role in this book than the last, though I don't think Bess sees his interest as more than professional or familial. What do you think his intentions are? And do you think Bess recognizes them?
I am not sure what to make of Simon. I really like him and I think he really likes Bess from different things he has said and such, but now there is this Aussie thrown in the mix. I think it will depend on if he is in the next book where Simon fits into everything. Bess seems to like the Aussie and he seems to like her. I hope that Simon continues to play a role in the books and I guess we will see how things go.

This book counts for the War Through the Generations Challenge and the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge.

No Graves As Yet by Anne Perry

On a sunny afternoon in late June, Cambridge professor Joseph Reavley is summoned from a student cricket match to learn that his parents have died in an automobile crash. Joseph’s brother, Matthew, as officer in the Intelligence Service, reveals that their father had been en route to London to turn over to him a mysterious secret document—allegedly with the power to disgrace England forever and destroy the civilized world. A paper so damning that Joseph and Matthew dared mention it only to their restless younger sister. Now it has vanished.
What has happened to this explosive document, if indeed it ever existed? How had it fallen into the hands of their father, a quiet countryman? Not even Matthew, with his Intelligence connections, can answer these questions. And Joseph is soon burdened with a second tragedy: the shocking murder of his most gifted student, beautiful Sebastian Allard, loved and admired by everyone. Or so it appeared.
Meanwhile, England’s seamless peace is cracking—as the distance between the murder of an Austrian archduke by a Serbian anarchist and the death of a brilliant university student by a bullet to the head of grows shorter by the day.

I have been a big fan of Anne Perry's historical mysteries since I first discovered her books but so far my reads have been limited to her two 19th century London series and those titles Christmas spinoffs. She has however, written in different periods and settings and I am glad that this HT event has given me the opportunity to start her WWI series that starts with this title. The series is comprised of 5 books each of which set in one of the war years from 1914 to 1918.

As mentioned in the synopsis the story starts with Reverend Joseph Reavley, and his siblings Mathew, Judith and Hannah,  dealing with the sudden death of his parents. That they have met with an accident right after his father has talked with Mathew about a mysterious document that may change England's role in an upcoming conflict seemms like a weird and unfortunate coincidence till the two brothers discover evidence of foul play in their parents death...

Unable to discover the document Joseph returns to Cambridge where he is a professor only to be met with the murder of one of his students. In such a closed environment everyone suspects everyone and it seems Sebastien Allard wasn't such an upstanding young man as Joseph thought which might have led to his murder. Shocked and feeling a bit betrayed by his inability to see the victim clearly Joseph investigates what really happened and why.

I did enjoy the idea behind this series very much. I think Perry does a good job of telling the events that precede the War. The Irish problems and the Boer war are mentioned several times and the events in continental Europe described as they were happening. I think, however, that how she chose to tell her story made for a very slow paced action that might not appeal to everyone and that made it easy for me to leave the book aside for periods of time and pick others in between. 

I found that when Joseph focused in Sebastien's murder we almost lost sight of what had happened to his parents. However that should have been our primary concern as it seemed more relevant to the political situation. One could imagine that both cases were related but while I didn't find the conclusion as obvious as all that it also wasn't the big closure I was expecting. I did like that sense of security that is fast coming to an end that she manages to convey and the discussions on pacifism and idealism that the characters engage in. Perry leaves a big cliffhanger at the end but instead of annoying me it also made me want to pick up the next book and see how things develop. I hope it is as interesting, albeit more engaging, than this one...

You can find the other titles in the series here

Grade: 4/5

An Impartial Witness by Charles Todd

An Impartial Witness: A Bess Crawford Novel (Book 2) by Charles Todd

Completion Date: April 19, 2012
Reason for Reading: Next book in the series/Bess Crawford Read-along.

World War I nurse Bess Crawford, introduced in "A Duty to the Dead," returns in an exciting new mystery in which a murder leads her into the clutches of awily killer.

Today I am posting my answers to the questions asked about the second book in the Bess Crawford series. Tune in on May 29 (or thereabouts) to see my thoughts on book 3.

1) As in A Duty to the Dead, long-seated familial animosities and jealousies play a role in the crimes committed. What did you think of the Garrison and Melton families? How do they compare to Bess' family, or to the families of soldiers and nurses created by war?
This book just seemed like drama, drama, drama. That is not necessarily a bad thing, it kept things interesting, but it seemed like everyone was having some sort of a problem in this book. I find that sometimes Bess and her family are shown as just a bit too perfect. They always seem to get along and Bess is always on a quest to do the right thing. There doesn't seem to be enough flaws to round out the characters. I think that is why despite enjoying the series, I am still a bit leery of Bess. It is something I have been trying to put my finger on since I read the first book.  It could also be because the other people in the book are so flawed it makes for almost a black and white comparison. And, when everything comes out in the end you can't help thinking 'Seriously?'. It is amazing how people can act, I tell you. The Garrison and Melton families were interesting, but it seemed like everyone was a bit crazy. There were some sympathetic moments, but it is sad that things played out the way that they did.

2) Simon Brandon plays a far greater role in this novel than he did in A Duty to the Dead. What do you make of that and do you think his intentions stem from his duty to Bess' father, or from his affections for Bess herself?
I am so glad you asked this question because I have been thinking a lot about Simon Brandon. I think he is going to continue to become more and more of a central character. And, I think it is clear from some of the scenes that it has more to do with his affection for Bess than loyalty to her father. I think this is one of the interesting things about this book because I am curious how the authors will choose to play it out.

3) Simon strives to curtail the risks that Bess takes throughout the novel. This advice of his struck me particularly: "We have to move on. Put the living first. There are already enough monuments to the dead." Do you think Bess's drive to right the wrongs she sees puts her at odds with this advice, to her detriment?
That was an interesting piece of advice and I suppose it makes sense, but I can also see where Bess is coming from. The police are getting no where with the case and she feels like since she was one of the last people who saw the victim alive, it was her responsibility to make sure her story was told. If she was a victim of a war than yes, there would be lots of monuments. She died senselessly, though, and she needed someone on her side. Sometimes Bess might go a bit too far, and it does seem like to her detriment, but ultimately it all plays out in the end and I think that redeems everything.

4) Do you think there is any such thing as an "impartial witness?" Bess admits to adding her own perspective and interpretation to what she sees at the railway station. Later, Mrs. Hennessey is referred to by Bess as an "impartial witness," presumably because she's completely in the dark about what's been happening. But what do you think of the phrase, and what do you think the authors mean us to to think of it?
I don't think there is such thing as an impartial witness. No matter what happens, you are going to put your life experiences and opinions into play when addressing a situation. I think it just happens no matter how hard you try. The authors, though, it is hard to say what they were thinking. I think it is likely they were trying to show there is really no such thing as someone that is impartial, but that could just be my opinions clouding things.

5) What did you think of the ending of the novel? Were you expecting a confrontation, or confession, that you didn't see? And if so, why do you think it was written that way?
Well, firstly, I solved the mystery in this one. I had this feeling and I was happy to see that I was right come the end of the book. There were a few moments where I doubted myself, but ultimately I thought I had the right guy. Secondly, I thought the book played out well in the end. I wasn't really disappointed by the ending. It was just the best way to finish everything up.

6) Did you learn any new phrases while reading An Impartial Witness? For me it was "Well, it's shank's mare, then," which Sister Benning says to Bess when they have to walk behind the ambulance of wounded soldiers on their way to safer ground. Turns out that "shanks mare" is an Irish phrase referring to having to hoof it on your own two legs.
I had the same one. I had no idea what 'shanks mare' meant. It was the first I had ever saw it used in a book, so I had to look it up. It's a rather entertaining phrase!

Bess Crawford Series:
A Duty to the Dead 
An Impartial Witness
Bitter Truths
An Unmarked Grave

This book counts for both the War Through the Generations Challenge and The Historical Fiction Challenge.

Something for Everyone in WWI Literature - A Guest Post by Anna Horner

One of the most fascinating things about the War Through the Generations reading challenges that I co-host with Serena from Savvy Verse & Wit has been learning how war affects everyone and every aspect of life. There are so many books covering so many different things for any given war, and it's impossible to read them all. Here are some of the categories I've discovered during my reading and my favorite titles for each.

In the Trenches

Trench warfare was hell. I can't imagine what the soldiers endured, and some of the descriptions are graphic enough to make one physically ill. But some of these books are beautifully written, including Strange Meeting by Susan Hill, a novel about two young men who forge a close friendship in the trenches.

(from my review) "Hill writes with a fondness and tenderness for these characters, and her portrayal of two men who love one another (not romantically…at least I didn’t take it that way) feels authentic under the circumstances. She shows men who are both brave and scared and who turn to one another so that they do not feel alone in such a dark moment in their lives."

Homefront

Some of the homefront stories are just as fascinating as those depicting the soldiers on the front lines. My Dear I Wanted to Tell You by Louisa Young is a favorite of mine because it not only focuses on the soldiers, but also on the women left behind. This period in history was one in which women were becoming more independent and embracing their sexuality. Moreover, she delves into the ways in which war altered relationships and goes into great detail about the emergence of facial reconstruction surgery.

(from my review) "My Dear I Wanted to Tell You is a novel that really gets to the heart of what it means to go to war and how nothing will ever be the same again for both the soldiers and their loved ones, even if they are lucky enough to come home. Young doesn’t shy away from describing the horrific things that happen in war, including the fear that prompted some soldiers to go to great lengths to escape the fighting, and she also emphasizes the home front, from the misinformation in the newspapers to the impact of the war on a marriage."

Romance

There really is something for everyone when it comes to war novels. Without blogger recommendations, I never would have come across Overseas by Beatriz Williams. It's a time-travel romance set mainly in New York City in 2008, but the storyline set during 1916 on the Western Front was the most interesting. It's not a perfect book, but the author had me hooked!

(from my review) "At the same time that Williams takes readers through all the ups and downs of Julian and Kate’s relationship, she also transports them back to the Great War, telling the story of Captain Ashford, a famous war poet, and the woman who loves him so much she’ll do anything to prevent him from going back to the front. The way in which Williams merges the two stories kept me on the edge of my seat, and just when I thought I had it all figured out, she’d surprise me again."

Children's

It's important to introduce children to topics like war in a way that doesn't overwhelm them with the horror but doesn't sugar-coat things either. Telling the story through the eyes of a child with whom they can relate is also a plus. Marcia Williams accomplishes all of this and more with Archie's War, a scrapbook by the fictional Archie Albright complete with doodles, letters that can be opened and read, and mementos from World War I. (And when you've finished this one, you'll have to read the next book, My Secret War Diary, which is another scrapbook-like novel set during World War II and told from the point of view of Archie's daughter, Flossie.)

(from my review) "Williams does a wonderful job merging the history of the war with the antics of a young boy, who at a tender age must learn about loss, fear, shell shock, and hunger but also finds hope and happiness in the countryside. ... Williams personalizes the war, letting readers see what happened through the eyes of a young boy who feels so very real."

Where to Start

I know this blog focuses on historical fiction, but I must mention just one non-fiction book. If you don't know much about World War I, you must read The War to End All Wars by Russell Freedman. It's a condensed history of what led up to the war and the major battles and is intended for middle-grade readers. It's less than 200 pages, with numerous black-and-white photographs. It's the perfect introduction to the war for both adults and children alike!

(from my review) "Freedman provides a comprehensive and detailed account of World War I, with chapters devoted to trench warfare, the war at sea, and the battles of Verdun and the Somme. Most interesting was the chapter on the new weapons employed during the war, such as machine guns and tanks. Freedman tells how barbed wire played a major role in trench warfare, how poison gas was introduced, and how developments in aviation led to the first dogfights and eliminated the need for reconnaissance missions by the cavalry."

Even though 2012 is almost over, there's still time to participate in the WWI Reading Challenge at War Through the Generations (the lowest participation level requires you to read just 1 book!). But even if you don't take part in the challenge, we hope you'll check out the book reviews and recommended reading lists on the site.

A Duty to the Dead by Charles Todd

A Duty to the Dead by Charles Todd

Completion Date: March 3, 2012
Reason for Reading: Bess Crawford Read-Along

The daughter of a distinguished soldier' Bess Crawford follows in his footsteps and signs up to go overseas as a nurse during the Great War' helping to deal with the many wounded. There' serving on a hospital ship' she makes a promise to a dying young lieutenant to take a message to his brother' Jonathan Graham: "Tell Jonathan that I lied. I did it for Mother′s sake. But it has to be set right." Later' when her ship is sunk by a mine and she′s sidelined by a broken arm' Bess returns home to England' determined to fulfill her promise.

It′s not so easy' however. She travels to the village in Kent where the Grahams live and passes on to Jonathan his brother′s plea. Oddly' neither Jonathan' his mother' nor his younger brother admit to knowing what the message means. Then Bess learns that there′s another brother' incarcerated in a lunatic asylum since the age of 14 when he was accused of brutally murdering a housemaid.

Bess rightly guesses that the dying soldier′s last words had something to do with the fourth brother. Because the family seems unwilling to do anything' she decides that she will investigate. It′s her own duty to the dead.

I had never heard about this series, but Jen at Devourer of Books posted about a read-along that was being hosted by Book Club Girl. I am not a huge fan of mystery series, but I do have a few exceptions. The fact that this one was centred around a female nurse, Bess Crawford, during WWI immediately caught my attention. I am a huge fan of Jacqueline Winspear's Maisie Dobbs series, so I am always looking for series of that same nature. Plus, I don't read as many books set during WWI as WWII and that is something I really need to remedy. I actually missed the first discussion for the read-along because I was doing up my Titanic posts, but I am finally taking the time to talk about this book.

Here are the questions that were posted for the discussion I missed:


1) Was this the first book that you read by Charles Todd, or, the first book set in this time period? I first encountered WWI-era-England with Jacqueline Winspear's Maisie Dobbs series, and then, of course with the tv sensation Downton Abbey. If you have read more in this time period, what other books do you recommend?
- Yes, this was my first time reading Charles Todd. I have noticed his other series while browsing the second-hand bookstore, but I hadn't heard enough to pick anything up. I also have read Jacqueline Winspear's series. I have read other books centred around WWI, but not very many and none that immediately jump to mind. There are just more books centred around WWII...

2) What was your first impression of Bess Crawford? Were you surprised by the independence she enjoyed as a woman in this time, and that her parents afforded her so much freedom? Did your opinion of Bess change throughout the novel?
- I actually think as far as her independence goes, she is probably more realistic than Maisie Dobb's. Her parents are constantly checking up on Bess and there is Simon, a friend of the family, who is around the rest of the time. She still does move around a fair bit, but not without some restrictions. I also think that her being a nurse in WWI and the changes that brought for women opened up some of the freedom for her. As to my first impression, I wasn't sure what to make of Bess. I enjoy the setting and all that, but I am not so sure about Bess herself. I don't dislike her, but she is not my favourite literary character ever. There is just something about her that is keeping her at a distance (and I have read two books in the series at this point).

3) Bess has an interesting back story, growing up as she did in India. How did the authors use that part of her life to help define her character, and that of her parents and their relationship?
The India connection was interesting. I enjoyed learning about her life there and such, but unfortunately with everything else happening in the book the details haven't really stuck with me. I think I am going to skip this question...

4) Did you know that large ocean liners, such as the Brittanic, which was a sister ship to both the Titanic and the Olympic, were called into service as hospital ships during the war? Brittanic was indeed sunk as well, just as the Todds write it in the book. Did you know that so many of the men who died on the hospital ships were buried at sea? Of course it makes sense, but I hadn't realized the number and that those men's families were left with no grave at home to visit, as Bess reflects, "In the sea there were no markers for the dead. No place in the deep to mourn, no place to leave flowers."
-I have always been fascinated with the Titanic, but with that comes interest in the sister ships. The Olympic was also used as a hospital ship during the war and there is a historical picture of it docked at the Halifax Harbour. I think this might be the first fictional book, though, that contained the Britannic. That I have read anyway. How quickly the ship sank considering all the modifications that were made to it following the Titanic surprised me the most each time I read about it. It just goes to show there is no such think as an 'unsinkable' ship. I was not surprised about the bodies buried at sea. That was something that was just done even if it wasn't an incident during the war. It is just the naval way.

4) What did you think of Arthur's message? Do you think it was fair of him to ask Bess to deliver it? Why do you think she was so committed to not only delivering it, but to making sure it was followed by the Graham family?
-I was a little surprised by the message in the beginning. You find out about it early in the novel and I wasn't sure what to expect. We still didn't really know Bess, so it was hard to entirely say how she would handle things. I thought it was nice that she made sure the message was delivered, but I was a bit surprised by how obsessed she was about things. Obviously if she hadn't the book would be rather short, but I think it might be her need to get wrapped up in other people's affairs that is making her so hard to grow on me. I am not entirely sure if it is believable.

5) What did you think of Mrs. Graham and her sons? I was struck by how much Bess was at their mercy and whim while staying in their house. Do you think they abused her kind nature in asking her to care for Peregrine?
- I couldn't get over the Graham family. Arthur seemed so normal, but wow, when you get into things there is a lot going on there. I went back and forth on Mrs. Graham. I sometimes was very sympathetic about her, but then there were other times where I just didn't like her at all. Her sons were no different, but I think I knew more clearly how I felt about them when everything played out. And, yes, I was both surprised by how it was well Bess was staying with them and how they treated her in regards to Peregrine. Again, I was a bit hesitant to find it believable.

6) Did you guess who the real killer was before he was revealed? I confess I went back and forth a few times, wondering.
- I went back and forth, too. I would think I had it solved and then I wouldn't be so sure any more. I wasn't surprised by the ending, though. I do think the Todd's did a good job of keeping things mysterious.

7) What new word did you learn in A Duty to the Dead? For me it was "ratings," which refers to "a classification according to grade; specifically: a military or naval specialist classification, or more precisely: "chiefly British: a naval enlisted man." (Merriam Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, 11th edition).
-hm, I am sure there was something, but again, been a while since I read the book...

In conclusion, I do enjoy this series, but I have a few reservations about this book.

This read counts for the War Through the Generations and the Historical Fiction Reading Challenges.

Bess Crawford Series:
A Duty to the Dead
An Impartial Witness
A Bitter Truth
An Unmarked Grave

The Penguin Book of First World War Poetry - A Guest Post by Serena

The Penguin Book of First World War Poetry (Second edition) edited by Jon Silkin and David McDuff is a collection of poetry from and about the WWI. Silkin and McDuff increased the number of poems in translation included in the collection. There are poems translated from German, French, Italian, Russian, and Hebrew, and Silkin was a poet himself. As expressed in the not at the beginning, "For some, war was moral athletics; others looked forward to the experience of war as a 'vacation from life' -- a vacation from a society disjoined by class and constrained by the rigid structures of labour." (page 12)

***However, I'm not one for long introductions so I skipped over it this time around and got straight to the poetry. ***

The anthology includes some of the more well known WWI poets, Thomas Hardy and Robert Graves, but also some who are not as well known. One of the most well known WWI poems is "Anthem for Doomed Youth" by Wilfred Owen, which seeks to command a respect for the thousands who died in a cause for freedom and defense. Steeped in religious allusions Owen makes reference to the candles lit where bodies lie and to the drawing of blinds in those same rooms as well as the prayers that often accompany the mourning process, but there also is an underlying celebration for their sacrifice as the bells are rung and anthems are sung.

Each of these poems brings with it a different perspective on war in the trenches, love, life, and loss, but above all patriotism. Isaac Rosenberg's "Dead Man's Dump" (page 211) is particularly haunting:

"The wheels lurched over sprawled dead
But pained them not, though their bones crunched,
Their shut mouths made no moan.
They lie there huddled, friend and foeman,"

Meanwhile, there is a true sense of fear in Ivor Gurney's "The Silent One," (page 116):

"Who died on the wires, and hung there, one of two --
Who for his hours of life had clattered through
Infinite lovely chatter of Bucks accent:
Yet faced unbroken wires; stepped over, and went
A noble fool, faithful to his stripes -- and ended
But I weak, hungry, and willing only for the chance
Of line -- to fight in the line, lay down under unbroken
Wires, and saw the flashes and kept unshaken
Till the politest voice -- a finicking accent, said:
'Do you think you might crawl through there: there's a hole'
Darkness, shot at:  I smiled, as politely replied --
'I'm afraid not, Sir.' There was no hole no way to be seen
Nothing but chance of death, after tearing of clothes."

Each poet in the collection bring their own perspective to war, but there seems to be a pervading reverence to the fight these soldiers' waged and all that they sacrificed. There were certain translated poems in the book that didn't resonate as well as some others, including Benjamin Peret's "Little Song of the Maimed," but it was good to revisit an old WWI poet, Osip Mandelstam (check out my earlier review of Stolen Air). The Penguin Book of First World War Poetry (Second edition) edited by Jon Silkin and David McDuff offers a collection of poems that provide a wide perspective on war from the patriotism the soldiers felt to their fear and horror at the experiences they had.


About the Editors:

Jon Silkin was born in London, in a Jewish immigrant family and named after Jon Forsyte in The Forsyte Saga, and attended Wycliffe College and Dulwich College. During the Second World War, he was one of the children evacuated from London, and for a period of about six years in the 1950s, after National Service, he supported himself by manual labour and other menial jobs. He wrote a number of works on the war poetry of World War I. He was known also as editor of the literary magazine Stand, which he founded in 1952, and which he continued to edit (with a hiatus from 1957 to 1960) until his death.

 David McDuff is a British translator, editor and literary critic. He attended the University of Edinburgh, where he studied Russian and German. After living for some time in the Soviet Union, Denmark, Iceland, and the United States, he eventually settled in the United Kingdom, where he worked for several years as a co-editor and reviewer on the literary magazine Stand. He then moved to London, where he began his career as a literary translator.

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Thanks to Serena for posting as part of WWI Week. You can visit her blog here.

Why I Love Slang by Gabriele Wills

Slang and colloquialisms help to define an era. What’s “cool” today was “far out” in the 1950s, “the bee’s knees” in the 1920s, and “swell” in the 1900s. “Cool” actually originated in about 1933, but seems so modern that I wonder if readers would consider it an anachronism if it were used in a novel set during that time.

Of course, a lot of slang is in common usage for more than a decade or two.  Although we might think these more contemporary than pre-WW1, expressions such as “not on your life”, “frigging”, “necking”, and “boyfriend” were already in use at that time, but “teenager” has only been around since the ‘30s.

You could have “given someone a piece of your mind” back in 1861, or “pi-jawed” them after 1891. It’s the delightful and mostly obsolete expressions like the latter that add a sense of historical place to novels. Something good is surely more fun when it’s “crackerjack”. A “top-hole” “chap” is the best kind of friend, and can also be called a “stout fellow”, or a “jolly”, “howling”, or “cracking” “good egg”.

A “flapper” who is too much of a “vamp” will have other girls “casting kittens” if she’s “canoodling” with all the “deevie”  “fly boys” or the “natty” “high-steppers”.

“Booze” has been around since about 1325, but “giggle-water” became popular in the ‘20s, and you’d be “squiffy”, “pie-eyed”, or “spifflicated” if you overindulged, as well as being just “high”, “tight”, or “plastered”.

If you “talk wet” someone may respond with “Applesauce!” or “Flapdoodle!” and might think that you’re either “tapped”, “dippy”, or “off your onion”. “You could have knocked me down with a feather” in 1741, but “Boy!” “I’ll be jiggered” if I’d rather not have a character in 1914 say “Zowie!” instead.

Words are such fun, aren’t they? I use several sources in my research, but the Oxford Dictionary of Slang is “the cat’s pajamas”!
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The author of five highly acclaimed historical novels, Gabriele loves to recreate an era in which she can immerse herself (and readers), by weaving compelling stories around meticulously researched facts. Her characters are best friends, whom others are now calling “cherished friends”.

With degrees in the social sciences and education, Gabriele has had a varied career as an educator, literacy coordinator, and website designer, and has been an active community volunteer, particularly in heritage preservation. But writing fiction has always been her passion. Her first short story appeared in the Canadian Authors Association Winners’ Circle 5 Anthology. In 2001, she produced an award-nominated feature on CBC Radio’s “Outfront”.

Born in Germany, Gabriele emigrated to Canada as a young child. She grew up in Lindsay, Ontario, enjoyed several years in Ottawa, and currently resides in Guelph with her husband. She is the proud mother of an accomplished daughter, with whom she is collaborating on an historical YA novel. Visit her at Mindshadows.com for more information.

Gabriele Wills appears as part of a Premier Virtual Author Book Tour.

WWI Week: The Girl You Left Behind by Jojo Moyes

I really love split time narrative novels when they are done well, and this book certainly qualifies as one of those!

The Girl You Left Behind starts in occupied France during World War I. The main female character, Sophie Lefevre, has withdrawn to a small village with her younger brother, her sister Sophie and Sophie's children to run the local hotel. Their men have gone off to war to fight the German army, leaving their families in what they hope are safe surrounds.

Sophie's husband is a talented artist, friends with some of the big name of the day. One of the few possessions that Sophie has bought to her new home is a painting that he did of her - The Girl You Left Behind.

Together the family runs the hotel, providing a place for the community to gather together in the face of the ongoing German occupation of their village. By working together the villagers can find ways to subvert the German occupiers - often only in small ways but enough to be able to at least keep their spirits up! That begins to change though when the local commandant decides that the hotel needs to be begin providing meals to all the officers. He begins to show Sophie signs of favouritism and it doesn't take long for some in the village to begin to believe the worst of her. It is easy for petty jealousies to take over when you believe that someone else is benefitting and getting more than you when have barely enough to survive on.

Sophie is desperate to find out where her husband Edouard is and she believes that the commandant might be able to help her. There is of course a price to pay. The Commandant has been drawn to the painting of Sophie since he first saw it but will that be a higher price to pay than Sophie is prepared to pay?

The action suddenly moves forward just under a hundred years and to be honest, the adjustment felt very abrupt but it didn't take long before I was once again settled in for the modern story, as well hoping to find more about what happened to Sophie. The painting, The Girl You Left Behind, now belongs to Liv Halston. Just as when Edouard painted Sophie as a gesture of love, for Liv the painting is representative of that same emotion. Her brilliant architect husband David had bought the painting for them during their honeymoon and since his early and unexpected death it had provided her great comfort.

When Liv meets Paul McCafferty she believes that maybe she can start to think about moving on from her grief. Paul is an American ex-policeman living in London, sharing custody of his young son with his ex-wife and working for a company that tries to restore ownership of works of art that were wrongly taken during times of war. In an increasingly lucrative business, the pressure to stay at the top is immense and so when the Lefevre family engage his company to try and recover Edouard's painting he can't believe his luck when he literally stumbles on it by accident.

However, his increasingly tangled emotions quickly become an issue as he realises how attached Liv is to the painting and that she is not going to give it up without a fight. Whilst the painting disappeared during WWI, Liv quickly becomes the target of people who are very active for the rights of those whose art was stolen during WWII particularly from Jewish families. Liv had been struggling financially and that was before she had exorbitant legal bills to pay and has become a figure of derision in the eye of the public. Maybe the sensible solution would be to not fight, but Liv is not prepared to just give up. Liv has to try and find out where the painting has been, starting with the place where David bought the painting and work her way back through history. Along the way, perhaps she can find out more about who the girl in the painting is and perhaps even what happened to her...

Jojo Moyes is a bit like a chameleon in terms of her books. A lot of authors find a niche and then stay there but not Moyes. This is the fourth book I have read by her. The first was set predominantly on a boat full of war brides after the end of WWII (Ship of Brides). The second was both in the late 60s through to modern day (Last Letter from her Lover) with the third being wholly contemporary and tackling a huge social issue (Me Before You).

Australian cover

I have enjoyed all of her books I have read so far, but the last couple especially so. In this book, Moyes skillfully took two stories and wove those threads together to form a compelling story. I found myself turning the pages whilst at the same time wondering how on earth she was possibly going to end both stories. Whilst both stories have the possibility of being kind of morbid, the various secondary characters and various events help to keep the emotions balanced. At times funny and uplifting, and at other times heartbreaking, Moyes takes the reader on a journey that covers both time and the emotional landscape.

The UK cover is kind of deceptive, because at first glance it looks quite whimsical but the elements do actually reflect the story. I am not sure about the Australian cover though. It's nice, but whether it would have caught my eye if I hadn't been absolutely excited by the prospect of a new book from Moyes is a different question!

I should mention that there is also a connected novella that is available on e-book only called Honeymoon in Paris which is a prequel to the action in this novel. I haven't read it, but I will, despite being a little cynical about the marketing driven reason for doing this. Then again, there are plenty of publishers that are going down this track of added extras!

Rating 4/5

Synopsis

What happened to the girl you left behind?

In 1916 French artist Edouard Lefevre leaves his wife Sophie to fight at the Front. When her town falls into German hands, his portrait of Sophie stirs the heart of the local Kommandant and causes her to risk everything - her family, reputation and life - in the hope of seeing her true love one last time.

Nearly a century later and Sophie's portrait is given to Liv by her young husband shortly before his sudden death. Its beauty speaks of their short life together, but when the painting's dark and passion-torn history is revealed, Liv discovers that the first spark of love she has felt since she lost him is threatened...

In The Girl You Left Behind two young women, separated by a century, are united in their determination to fight for the thing they love most - whatever the cost.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the e-ARC and Lisa from ANZ Litlovers for the paper copy of this book. This review has also been cross-posted at ANZ Litlovers

Introducing Historical Tapestry's WWI 'Week'

Hi everyone,

Historical Tapestry has had a lot of fun with all of our activities so far this year; so we knew we had to bring you another one. The 100th Anniversary of the start of WWI and the terrible events that conspired is only a short time away and the publishing world is getting ready for the attention this event will garner. We at Historical Tapestry thought this would be a good time to dedicate two weeks to books and authors that cover the event.

So, be sure to tune if for two weeks of WWI events!