Last Christmas in Paris by Hazel Gaynor
My rating: 5 of 5 starsMainstream fiction
An unforgettably romantic novel that spans four Christmases (1914-1918), Last Christmas in Paris explores the ruins of war, the strength of love, and the enduring hope of the Christmas season.
August 1914. England is at war. As Evie Elliott watches her brother, Will, and his best friend, Thomas Harding, depart for the front, she believes - as everyone does - that it will be over by Christmas. But as history tells us, it all happened so differently...
MY THOUGHTS...
For me, Last Christmas in Paris is more than a 5-star read. So much more. Less than a third of the way through, I knew this book would leave a lasting imprint in my thoughts.
On the surface, it's a WWI novel with romantic elements, and there's where the complexity begins. The writing format is one of correspondence, letters and telegrams among a small circle of friends, family and business workers. I never knew this epistolary style could advance the storyline so smoothly and be so emotionally gripping, keeping me on the edge of my seat at times.
Many aspects of war are explored - such as the naivety of solders at the beginning of the war, social mores with regard to women's role, and the government/media propaganda verses reality. The real cowards are those back in England, in charge of the printing presses. The real cowards cover up the truth and shy away from the reality of this 'war to end all wars' before sinking into their warm beds. (from Evie's newspaper column).
At the heart is one of the sweetest romances I've ever read, from childhood friendships of Evie and Tom to so much more. I love the part letters play, and how easy it is to communicate from the heart in letter writing. Each section ends with a short current-day narrative in 1968, gently unfolding Evie and Tom's life after the war and concluding with some emotional revelations.
Highly recommended.
On the surface, it's a WWI novel with romantic elements, and there's where the complexity begins. The writing format is one of correspondence, letters and telegrams among a small circle of friends, family and business workers. I never knew this epistolary style could advance the storyline so smoothly and be so emotionally gripping, keeping me on the edge of my seat at times.
Many aspects of war are explored - such as the naivety of solders at the beginning of the war, social mores with regard to women's role, and the government/media propaganda verses reality. The real cowards are those back in England, in charge of the printing presses. The real cowards cover up the truth and shy away from the reality of this 'war to end all wars' before sinking into their warm beds. (from Evie's newspaper column).
At the heart is one of the sweetest romances I've ever read, from childhood friendships of Evie and Tom to so much more. I love the part letters play, and how easy it is to communicate from the heart in letter writing. Each section ends with a short current-day narrative in 1968, gently unfolding Evie and Tom's life after the war and concluding with some emotional revelations.
Highly recommended.
**General fiction, some mild profanity
Quotes:
-- "As mothers and wives, sisters and friends, how can we help the men who don't return to us with broken limbs, but who return to us with broken minds?" - Evie's newspaper column
-- "We led such comfortable privileged lives before all this. Nothing will ever be the same, will it? I hope not. We must be changed by this, or what on earth is it all for." - Letter from Evie to her mother
View all my reviews
Quotes:
-- "As mothers and wives, sisters and friends, how can we help the men who don't return to us with broken limbs, but who return to us with broken minds?" - Evie's newspaper column
-- "We led such comfortable privileged lives before all this. Nothing will ever be the same, will it? I hope not. We must be changed by this, or what on earth is it all for." - Letter from Evie to her mother
View all my reviews
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