Not being a fan of war novels, I was a bit leery to start this book had it not been so highly recommended. While the accounts of the war were truly horrific beyond comprehension, it was written in such a way that what you actually see and feel as a reader is not just blood …more and guts, but a clear understanding of humanity in it's most primal form.

I was so completely engrossed in the story and enraptured with its characters that I didn't put it down for three days.

After finishing, it was evident to me that the chapters of the war were the real meat and potatoes of the book. The present-day part of the story was on the boring side and the love story and relationships with Isabelle and Jeanne felt incomplete and underdeveloped. In fact, the way in which Faulks depicts Isabelle's departure from Stephen and her reunion with him seems to be hastily written in contrast to the amount of time and effort that was devoted to the part about the war.

Yet even with those criticisms, this was still hands-down one of the best books I've read in a really long time. I can't wait for the movie to come out! I highly recommend it. (less)