As the Great War rages on, two men cross paths as they try and make sense of the world they find themselves in. Dr. William Rivers is in the strange aAs the Great War rages on, two men cross paths as they try and make sense of the world they find themselves in. Dr. William Rivers is in the strange and difficult position of helping to heal men from their psychiatric wounds only to send them back to the fight. Billy Prior is a lower class soldier, seeking what solace he can with both men and women, and actually fighting to return to the battlefield.
They both live the best lives they can amid the chaos and horror of war, and we see different pieces of their lives and histories. Not a fun or light read, but well done with some very nuanced and layered characters. ...more
This was really not for me. There's an old writer joke about after the author suffers for their research, they make the reader suffer along with them,This was really not for me. There's an old writer joke about after the author suffers for their research, they make the reader suffer along with them, and that happened a few times in here. Far more detail than we needed about paper production, rural law suits, etc.
Short version: Lucien is a talented poet in the small town he's from. He falls in love with the local noblewoman, and they go to Paris. Lucien is beyond naive, and does horribly in Paris, falling in to bad habits and various plots against him, despite his apparently real talent.
Meanwhile, Lucien's sister, Eve, marries David, a local printer and inventor who is trying to create a new way to make paper. He, too, is incredibly talented and very, very naive, and also falls prey to assorted plots.
I guess in this world, the smarter the you are, the more naive you are. The bad guys win, and things with Lucien continue with another book I'm not likely to read.
Didn't work for me, your experience may vary....more
I listened to this as an audiobook, but that doesn't seem to be an option for whatever reason.
Christine is a performer at the Opera, who is haunted bI listened to this as an audiobook, but that doesn't seem to be an option for whatever reason.
Christine is a performer at the Opera, who is haunted by "The Opera Ghost," who ticks every box as a major league stalker. I suspect this story lost something over time. It likely translates better in the musical (which I haven't seen).
It's an odd story that I really didn't love. Opinions may vary....more
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