What do readers think of Gifts of War by Mackenzie Ford? Write your own review.

Readers who like books set in the time of The War to End All Wars will find this novel replete with social, as well as political, history. To me, the characters sometimes seem too modern in their conversation, broad knowledge, and general candor, than what one might expect from people living in that time period with the restrictions society then imposed upon individuals.

But their story is always interesting to both men and women, and compelling, and the characters are well delineated.

I thought it was a good book but it was difficult to fathom the stretch of morals which were described. I think it would be a good book for a book club as it will generate discussion. In order to understand the book one must have lived through some challenges and have the insight to see the various perspectives.

I enjoy reading first-time authors, and this book was no exception. The plot, the characters and the time period made me want to keep reading to find out how everything worked out. I will definitely look for more books by this author!

I love the era of World War One, and was looking forward to being whisked away by a riveting story complete with the historical details of that fascinating period. The historical detail was there, and I particularly enjoyed the description of the famous Christmas truce, but beyond that, I felt that the story lacked emotion. I couldn't sympathize with the protagonist because the prose was dry, almost in the style of a report. There were no haunting descriptions or accounts of the wrenching emotions that a soldier in the trenches would experience. The author is a historian turned novelist, and even though the history was accurate, I had to make myself finish the book.

I thought this was a very intriguing book and that it offered many depths. Aside from the enjoyment of reading about England during WWI - or rather ANYTHING on The Great War - as it is not as popular in literature as other wars & battles - the detail is rich with imagery and easy for the reader to immerse into the story.

Having said that, the only nick I have - is that there were many moments when the narrative ran dry - the structure lost its lyrical rhythm and was, well, choppy at times.
Nonetheless, an enjoyable read and should be a very discussable one for groups regarding the ironies of war - while it takes away so much, it also offers opportunity and bounty to those who are willing to grab for it. However - the main discussion point is as it well should be - the value of one's word or a promise. For without your word, what have you then?

Gifts of War is a touching love story set against the brutal backdrop of the first world war. It’s the story of a man whose depth of love for a forbidden woman is clothed in a dark secret and portrays the lengths we will go for those we love. The story line navigates between the scarred landscape of war torn Europe and the relatively peaceful English countryside and depicts with exacting detail the difficulties of trying to live everyday life during war time. Ford cleverly employs the use of a series of letters between Hal and his sister, a nurse stationed at the front, to depict the horrors associated with the trench warfare. As for Hal and Sam’s relationship, I was never sure where it would go with each turn of the page, but it certainly was a worthwhile journey seeing it progress.

This is one of the best books I have read in a while and had trouble putting it down. I thought it was very well written. If the sections about the intelligence community were indeed factual, it gives me a better appreciation of what they actually do. I loved reading Izzy's letters to Hal -- the way she nagged him yet loved him. This book has something for everyone -- from love to intrigue and from drama to a bit of comedy.

I can't wait to read other novels by this author.

When I started "Gifts of War" I couldn't stop reading. It is well written and the plot is fascinating. It is a book that you will think about long after you finish it. I couldn't imagine how it would end and trust me, the ending is not what you expect. I consider this book a "must read." Book groups will have a field day discussing it. It is a wonderful book.