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A review by lina_alaska
In the Absence of Men by Philippe Besson
emotional
sad
medium-paced
4.5
Incredibly tender.
I really enjoyed reading this book and I teared up a couple of times. The writing is sublime and I fear I wouldn't have understood a word had I read it in the French original.
Summary (with some spoilers):
Over the course of 7 days in the summer of 1916, young soldier Arthur who is currently on leave sneaks through the bedroom window of the main character Vincent.
Arthur's daily confrontation with violent bloodshed and the death of his comrades makes him bold and forces him to confess his feelings to Vincent.
They try to make the most of those seven days - or rather those seven nights because their class difference would make people talk if they were seen together.
It is during the day that Vincent meets up with illustrious author Marcel with whom he shares an unspoken bond.
Once Arthur has to go back to the front, uncertain if he will ever return, and Marcel is called away to some family business, Vincent is left to writing to and receiving letters from these two men.
Every letter from Arthur could be the last and the letters from Marcel caution him against the heartbreak he is speeding towards.
I really enjoyed reading this book and I teared up a couple of times. The writing is sublime and I fear I wouldn't have understood a word had I read it in the French original.
Summary (with some spoilers):
Over the course of 7 days in the summer of 1916, young soldier Arthur who is currently on leave sneaks through the bedroom window of the main character Vincent.
Arthur's daily confrontation with violent bloodshed and the death of his comrades makes him bold and forces him to confess his feelings to Vincent.
They try to make the most of those seven days - or rather those seven nights because their class difference would make people talk if they were seen together.
It is during the day that Vincent meets up with illustrious author Marcel with whom he shares an unspoken bond.
Once Arthur has to go back to the front, uncertain if he will ever return, and Marcel is called away to some family business, Vincent is left to writing to and receiving letters from these two men.
Every letter from Arthur could be the last and the letters from Marcel caution him against the heartbreak he is speeding towards.
Content Warnings
Minor: Death, Gun violence, War