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lilys_library22's review against another edition
5.0
Lovely War by Julie Berry
5/5 stars
“Let them start their dreadful wars, let destruction rain down, and let plague sweep through, but I will still be here, doing my work, holding humankind together with love like this.” -Aphrodite, Lovely War
Lovely War follows the lives of four young adults living during the trying times of World War 1. It is a historical fiction romance, with four main characters and multiple points of view. Hazel, James, Collette, and Aubrey are all somehow involved in the war- the two men soldiers, and the two women volunteering at the YMCA to aid the troops. Each person’s story eventually intertwines with that of the other main characters, leading the four to become well-known friends by the end of the book and develop valuable relationships with one another. However, what makes this story unique from other historical fiction works is that the tales of how these characters found each other and fell in love are all narrated by the Greek gods. Aphrodite, Ares, Hades, and Apollo each weave the threads of the story, beginning with Aphrodite, who is telling all of this to her jealous husband, Hephaestus. Hephaestus had caught her and Ares deep in a love affair at a fancy hotel in Manhattan, and the gods are in a sort of trial over the course of the book. Aphrodite is being tried for being an unfaithful wife, with different witnesses being called to recall different aspects of the stories. Apollo narrates Aubrey’s chapters, because Aubrey is part of a regiment that plays ragtime music, belonging to James Reese Europe. Aubrey is a talented musician, and Apollo is the god of music. The rising popularity of jazz in World War II was an important part of the book, which was emphasized by Apollo’s presence in the story. Ares narrates James’ point of view as he fights in the trenches, the god of war painting brutal pictures of how battle looks from the front lines. Hades steps in to describe the afterlife and passing over of souls as they perish on earth, each god bringing a valuable insight to the various aspects of war. This unique twist on the narration of the story made for a fascinating read. Over the course of the book, Aphrodite seeks to discover why love and war are so closely related, and how some of the strongest devotions go hand in hand with hardship. It emphasizes the impact of hope during conflict, how art and music are born from such conflict, and how even when all seems lost, love still finds a way.
Usually, I tend to stay away from historical fiction. Lovely War, however, was absolutely phenomenal. The main element for me that made this story so interesting and engaging was the narration. I fell in love with the portrayals of the Greek gods and how they framed the story, it truly was a genius decision to take a common topic in historical fiction and put such an original spin on it. Each character was well developed, realistically flawed, and I enjoyed each of their points of views- something I rarely experience in books that contain multiple narrations. I find it’s hard to pull off a multiple POV without some of the characters feeling bland or less interesting compared to other chapters, so big props to the author for being able to make each person feel just as engaging and riveting. The other thing that stood out to me was the writing. Julie Berry’s writing was hauntingly beautiful, capturing the perils and magical moments found during the great war. I’m looking forward to rereading this book so I can annotate it- it's just one of those books where you connect to the words, the characters, the relationships- on an emotional level, feeling a deep empathy for their struggles and the love they feel. The prose was magnificent, and at times I felt like I was reading poetry. Something about the humanity and raw realness of the story truly stuck with me. When the characters fell in love, I did too, and when they experienced heartbreak, so did I. The author has a true talent for making the reader feel and evoke strong emotions about topics that I didn’t know I could feel so strongly about.
As Aphrodite tells this story, many of the other gods point out that mortals, although their love might be beautiful, have fleeting lives. They die in the end, no matter what they accomplished on Earth or whether they had loved ones to miss them or not. Aphrodite, acknowledging this, still says that given the choice, she would want to be mortal just to experience this kind of love. I found that the whole book was a love letter to love itself, despite our mortality and the wars, hardships, and injustices that might plague the human race. The whole point of the story was to demonstrate how war, although ugly, also gives birth to beautiful things. Love, art, stories. How having someone or something to hold onto in times of peril can save a life. Aphrodite was the perfect narrator for such a tale, bringing incredible appreciation for the love that blossomed between the characters and guiding them as best she could through a world more interested in death and war. Altogether, this is probably the best book I’ve read in 2023 so far. I would recommend it to people who enjoy historical fiction, but also to those who are trying to get into the genre. If you are interested in Greek mythology, this would also be a good story to read. I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone who doesn’t prefer romance- or likes it as a sub-plot rather than a main focus- because it was very romance heavy, centered on the relationships between the characters and focusing on love over everything else. Generally, I think the vast majority of people would find this book highly enjoyable and I am looking forward to reading the other books by this talented author.
5/5 stars
“Let them start their dreadful wars, let destruction rain down, and let plague sweep through, but I will still be here, doing my work, holding humankind together with love like this.” -Aphrodite, Lovely War
Lovely War follows the lives of four young adults living during the trying times of World War 1. It is a historical fiction romance, with four main characters and multiple points of view. Hazel, James, Collette, and Aubrey are all somehow involved in the war- the two men soldiers, and the two women volunteering at the YMCA to aid the troops. Each person’s story eventually intertwines with that of the other main characters, leading the four to become well-known friends by the end of the book and develop valuable relationships with one another. However, what makes this story unique from other historical fiction works is that the tales of how these characters found each other and fell in love are all narrated by the Greek gods. Aphrodite, Ares, Hades, and Apollo each weave the threads of the story, beginning with Aphrodite, who is telling all of this to her jealous husband, Hephaestus. Hephaestus had caught her and Ares deep in a love affair at a fancy hotel in Manhattan, and the gods are in a sort of trial over the course of the book. Aphrodite is being tried for being an unfaithful wife, with different witnesses being called to recall different aspects of the stories. Apollo narrates Aubrey’s chapters, because Aubrey is part of a regiment that plays ragtime music, belonging to James Reese Europe. Aubrey is a talented musician, and Apollo is the god of music. The rising popularity of jazz in World War II was an important part of the book, which was emphasized by Apollo’s presence in the story. Ares narrates James’ point of view as he fights in the trenches, the god of war painting brutal pictures of how battle looks from the front lines. Hades steps in to describe the afterlife and passing over of souls as they perish on earth, each god bringing a valuable insight to the various aspects of war. This unique twist on the narration of the story made for a fascinating read. Over the course of the book, Aphrodite seeks to discover why love and war are so closely related, and how some of the strongest devotions go hand in hand with hardship. It emphasizes the impact of hope during conflict, how art and music are born from such conflict, and how even when all seems lost, love still finds a way.
Usually, I tend to stay away from historical fiction. Lovely War, however, was absolutely phenomenal. The main element for me that made this story so interesting and engaging was the narration. I fell in love with the portrayals of the Greek gods and how they framed the story, it truly was a genius decision to take a common topic in historical fiction and put such an original spin on it. Each character was well developed, realistically flawed, and I enjoyed each of their points of views- something I rarely experience in books that contain multiple narrations. I find it’s hard to pull off a multiple POV without some of the characters feeling bland or less interesting compared to other chapters, so big props to the author for being able to make each person feel just as engaging and riveting. The other thing that stood out to me was the writing. Julie Berry’s writing was hauntingly beautiful, capturing the perils and magical moments found during the great war. I’m looking forward to rereading this book so I can annotate it- it's just one of those books where you connect to the words, the characters, the relationships- on an emotional level, feeling a deep empathy for their struggles and the love they feel. The prose was magnificent, and at times I felt like I was reading poetry. Something about the humanity and raw realness of the story truly stuck with me. When the characters fell in love, I did too, and when they experienced heartbreak, so did I. The author has a true talent for making the reader feel and evoke strong emotions about topics that I didn’t know I could feel so strongly about.
As Aphrodite tells this story, many of the other gods point out that mortals, although their love might be beautiful, have fleeting lives. They die in the end, no matter what they accomplished on Earth or whether they had loved ones to miss them or not. Aphrodite, acknowledging this, still says that given the choice, she would want to be mortal just to experience this kind of love. I found that the whole book was a love letter to love itself, despite our mortality and the wars, hardships, and injustices that might plague the human race. The whole point of the story was to demonstrate how war, although ugly, also gives birth to beautiful things. Love, art, stories. How having someone or something to hold onto in times of peril can save a life. Aphrodite was the perfect narrator for such a tale, bringing incredible appreciation for the love that blossomed between the characters and guiding them as best she could through a world more interested in death and war. Altogether, this is probably the best book I’ve read in 2023 so far. I would recommend it to people who enjoy historical fiction, but also to those who are trying to get into the genre. If you are interested in Greek mythology, this would also be a good story to read. I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone who doesn’t prefer romance- or likes it as a sub-plot rather than a main focus- because it was very romance heavy, centered on the relationships between the characters and focusing on love over everything else. Generally, I think the vast majority of people would find this book highly enjoyable and I am looking forward to reading the other books by this talented author.
allbettesareoff's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
War is far from lovely. But love in the midst of war makes the horror bearable. In her vast and wrenching novel, Lovely War, Julie Berry crafts a set of lives so compelling and so utterly drenched in humanity that readers can’t help but keep turning pages.
At a parish dance in London, 1917, Miss Hazel Windicott, pianist, meets a fresh recruit for the Great War. On the other side of the ocean, Aubrey Edwards, pianist, enlists in one of his country’s black battalions as the United States prepares to finally enter the conflict, and he has no idea the ways in which the war will turn his life upside down. Berry weaves three love stories beneath a blanket of violence, bloodshed, and bigotry that teach kindness, endurance, and commitment in a uniquely valiant way. Alternating between Greek gods as narrators provides a tonal backdrop unlike anything in fiction today and a dichotomy for the ages.
When Berry has something to say, she will say it in a way that forces you to listen. Hazel, James, Colette, and Aubrey are impossible to ignore. They are too human. Readers long to see them safe, healthy, happy, and in love. And while this book would not exist without romance, it also could not exist without hate.
Not only is World War I integral to every piece of this puzzle, but even a subject as difficult to write about as race factors in a colossal way to the final picture. Prepare for heartbreak, yes, but also grievous wrongs and unexplainable crimes against all things decent. Julie Berry has clearly taken great care to bring to light some of the terrors of being a black American in the 1910s, and she does it with grace, compassion, and respect, despite not being a part of the community herself.
Lovely War is far from a simple romance novel. It is deep, it is kind, it is frightening. It explores the weight of being a soldier and the hope that love can bring into a dark, dark world. Berry does not shy away from death, but faces it head-on, even when her characters can’t. She understands what it is to be human. And Lovely War understands what it is to love.
melblanco's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
libraryofmarella_13's review against another edition
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
This book is the definition of bringing back good, well-thought out romance books. And now I am expecting an Amazon Prime series of this
drymming's review against another edition
4.0
This took over me body and soul♥️
The characters were so lovely. The love so pure. The feelings so true.
I felt like i was reading about PEOPLE. Not characters. What a lovely change.
I feel like I did connect more with Colette as a female lead but James as a male lead. The gods were amazing to be narrators of this wonderful story.
A beautiful twist on the Hephasteus and Aphrodite tale of infidelity.
The characters were so lovely. The love so pure. The feelings so true.
I felt like i was reading about PEOPLE. Not characters. What a lovely change.
I feel like I did connect more with Colette as a female lead but James as a male lead. The gods were amazing to be narrators of this wonderful story.
A beautiful twist on the Hephasteus and Aphrodite tale of infidelity.
maddynd06's review against another edition
5.0
4/5
okay this book tore my heart out and ran it over with a truck, but i loved every second of it
okay this book tore my heart out and ran it over with a truck, but i loved every second of it
pictturo's review against another edition
4.5
so so good. amazing concept, middle part dragged on with war talk, but it might just be me. sweet and creative characters and situations.
aubrey and collettes love plot was instan t-lovey and i just didnt love them together, separate they were incredible
aubrey and collettes love plot was instan t-lovey and i just didnt love them together, separate they were incredible
kayleigh_paige's review against another edition
4.0
It dragged in some parts, but I really enjoyed the Hades parts.
valsoceans's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.75