Review: Lovely War

Title: Lovely War

Author: Julie Berry

Rating: 5 Stars

Format: Paperback

Publisher: Viking Books via Penguin Random House South Africa

Date Published: 5 March 2019

Goodreads Description: It’s 1917, and World War I is at its zenith when Hazel and James first catch sight of each other at a London party. She’s a shy and talented pianist; he’s a newly minted soldier with dreams of becoming an architect. When they fall in love, it’s immediate and deep—and cut short when James is shipped off to the killing fields.

Aubrey Edwards is also headed toward the trenches. A gifted musician who’s played Carnegie Hall, he’s a member of the 15th New York Infantry, an all-African-American regiment being sent to Europe to help end the Great War. Love is the last thing on his mind. But that’s before he meets Colette Fournier, a Belgian chanteuse who’s already survived unspeakable tragedy at the hands of the Germans.

Thirty years after these four lovers’ fates collide, the Greek goddess Aphrodite tells their stories to her husband, Hephaestus, and her lover, Ares, in a luxe Manhattan hotel room at the height of World War II. She seeks to answer the age-old question: Why are Love and War eternally drawn to one another? But her quest for a conclusion that will satisfy her jealous husband uncovers a multi-threaded tale of prejudice, trauma, and music and reveals that War is no match for the power of Love.

I was given a copy by Penguin Random House SA. All opinions are my own.

Story

The story was amazing. Lovely War is a story within a story, told by the Goddess of Love herself. I loved the mix of mythology and realism. I was deeply touched by Hazel, James, Aubrey and Colette’s stories. The pacing is really good and I was never bored with the story, even though the book is relatively long. I was immediately pulled into the world of WW1 and I couldn’t put the book down.

Writing

Sometimes when you read a book you can just feel the love that the author has for the story. The work and the care that went into this story was phenomenal. Lovely War is such a beautiful and detail-oriented book, it felt like I was watching a movie. I could see everything clear as day, all of my senses were engaged. This book was stunning without being overly descriptive and lyrical.

Characters

Berry is phenomenal at character building. Both the “normal” and “mythological” characters were so fleshed out and I felt like I got to know all of the characters very personally. I loved their stories and I loved this book. I definitely recommend it.

What did you think of Lovely War? Share your thoughts with me. 

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