Lovely War book review
on March 5, 2019
Goodreads
Read the novel New York Times bestselling author of The Alice Network Kate Quinn called "easily one of the best novels I have read all year!" A critically acclaimed, multi-layered romance set in the perilous days of World Wars I and II, where gods hold the fates--and the hearts--of four mortals in their hands.
They are Hazel, James, Aubrey, and Colette. A classical pianist from London, a British would-be architect-turned-soldier, a Harlem-born ragtime genius in the U.S. Army, and a Belgian orphan with a gorgeous voice and a devastating past. Their story, as told by goddess Aphrodite, who must spin the tale or face judgment on Mount Olympus, is filled with hope and heartbreak, prejudice and passion, and reveals that, though War is a formidable force, it's no match for the transcendent power of Love.
Hailed by critics, Lovely War has received seven starred reviews and is an indie bestseller. Author Julie Berry has been called "a modern master of historical fiction" by Bookpage and "a celestially inspired storyteller" by the New York Times, and Lovely War is truly her masterwork.
I had heard such amazing things about this book and it seemed to have everything I would love in a story, war, romance and greek mythology. But somewhere along the line Lovely War fell short of the mark and I wish I would have read a physical copy rather than the audiobook. The narrator’s voice made the book seem way more tropey than it necessarily was. I don’t know whether a physical copy would have made any difference but the audiobook wasn’t for me which was a shame. I don’t know whether I would ever pick it back up again but if I did it would have to be the physical and not the audio.
The characters are a bit odd in Lovely War because it focuses on the Greek gods who are telling the story and then the two couples in which they have been meddling. The reason why this book fell a little flat for me was because it was almost like seeing the characters from afar and through someone else’s eyes which made the entire thing a little hard to connect with. I just felt as though all of the characters were going through things that were deeply personal and traumatic and we felt none of it because we were seeing it through immortal’s eyes.
The first of the two couples are Hazel and James and it isn’t spoiling anything to say that it was insta-love. Which in some war books works because there’s a sense of urgency and of panic about them, whereas I think Lovely War wanted to have that same feeling but just didn’t. It all just felt a little childish to me and as though they were children playing at war and love. It all just didn’t fit in. The second couple which was slightly more believable was Collette and Aubrey, I feel as though although it was predictable to where it was going to go they still had more honest moments of figuring each other out. I just wish that the trauma that Collette had been through wouldn’t have been brushed aside so quickly.
Best bit for me all the way through Lovely War was the God’s narration, I really enjoyed their interactions and the way the story was told from all of their perspectives. It added a lot of colour and interest to the story and I think I would have preferred for more of the story to be focused on them and their point of view of everything. I also feel as though I learnt a lot, there were parts of WWI that I had never heard about and I really loved learning about the different parts and how it shaped modern day.
Worst bits, and I’m sorry to say that there’s a few. I feel as though everything was sort of running along on a schedule in the sense that there was no urgency to anything and even though it was war it was all very organised. I feel as though some parts are unrealistic and there weren’t any real consequences in this book and for me it ruined it a little.
I would recommend this one, I do think there are better WWI stories out there and I feel as though this is a very 2D look at the war and relationships in there. The conflict is all a bit samey and but if you’re looking for a cutesy war story this one is for you.
Have you read this one? Do you think it deserves all the hype? Let me know!
