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pturnbull's review
4.0
Lyric novel told from a third person omniscient author with more than one point of view. There is a numb detachment in the telling, though the novel is rich in details. The book begins in August, 1914, and opens upon the tolling of church bells that announce war and the need for men to muster. Other characters include Anthime's three friends, Blanche, a woman he desires, and Charles, Blanche's husband, a man who fills Anthime with "intimidating uneasiness." I found the author's deliberate withholding of information interesting and the book read as a kind of puzzle, as we do not enter into it vividly but remain removed, like officers sitting at a safe distance, observing a battle.
grandlarsony's review
4.0
A short but compelling story about a French soldier in World War I. I could easily picture the scenes in detail, despite the spare prose.
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