A review by panikos
War Crimes For The Home by Liz Jensen

funny sad fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This is a strange one. I started and abandoned it a few years ago - not because I didn't like the story, but because I just couldn't get past the formatting of the dialogue. I'm glad I took a second crack at it. It's quite a manic book, and definitely not the easiest story to follow, because it jumps all over the place and the narrative style is pretty rambling. But I think the disorientated writing was a stylistic choice - you definitely feel like you're reading the account of an old, traumatised person with an inconsistent memory. Gloria's voice is spot on, and her character is fascinating if not especially likeable. 

I think the short length of the book is both to its benefit and its detriment. The odd narrative style probably would've been tiresome if it had been spanned out across 300 pages, but I also felt the story did need more room to breathe in places. Most of the threads are wrapped up fairly well, but I'd have liked a bit more information about Bill and Grace, and about how Jill found Gloria again. 

On the whole, though, it was a good book. I really like the female perspective on World War 2, and the juxtaposition of the broader war with the private war that Gloria experienced at home. I like how unflinching it was in portraying Gloria's character - she wasn't softened or made more palatable, and her terrible actions are only ever explained, not justified. It's a strange but worthwhile read.
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