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A review by nclcaitlin
In Memoriam by Alice Winn
3.5
A WWII The Song of Achilles.
1914 Henry Gaunt and Sidney Ellwood are classmates at an English boarding school. Gaunt has part German heritage, is reserved, awkward and anti-war. Ellwood is part Jewish, extremely popular and eager to fight in the war.
We follow them as they enlist separately to fight in the war where millions and millions of lives were lost.
Ellwood and Gaunt find fleeting moments of solace in one another as their friends endlessly die around them, knowing at any moment they could be next.
Winn masterfully shows the way youth were manipulated into wanting to be remembered and glorified. Propaganda, fear, labelling… Especially for those who are already on the fringes of society and facing dislike or stigma from their peers.
”Over the top, you cowardly bastards!” I cried, my voice breaking, because I did not want to do it, I didn’t, Elly, I knew those men, but what other choice had I? They were stupid with fear, and only more fear would move them.
Running through this novel is the beauty of poetry. Both Gaunt and Ellwood love poetry and constantly recite it. I have never considered myself a poetry fan, however this book interwove poetry in such a way that profoundly touched on the harrowing, unspeakable experience of war.
“My dearest, darling Sidney,' There was nothing else. Only dead white paper, blank and meaningless. A comma, followed by nothing. Death summed up by grammar.”
I am genuinely amazed that this is a debut novel. It feels like a classic piece of literature. I will not be surprised if this is studied at school.
So why isn’t this a raving five stars? I think because there were so many characters and deaths that I just felt a disconnect. I know Winn was showing how the war didn’t discriminate and killed and killed and killed. Yet, I need time to settle with characters.
I think some moments also just felt too melodramatic for me, like a scene made big for theatre production.
If you enjoyed this, I would recommend The Warm Hand of Ghosts by Katherine Arden.
Tennyson from “The Charge of the Light Brigade”, 1854:
Half a league, half a league,
Half a league onward,
All in the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.
“Forward, the Light Brigade!
Charge for the guns!” he said.
Into the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.
1914 Henry Gaunt and Sidney Ellwood are classmates at an English boarding school. Gaunt has part German heritage, is reserved, awkward and anti-war. Ellwood is part Jewish, extremely popular and eager to fight in the war.
We follow them as they enlist separately to fight in the war where millions and millions of lives were lost.
Ellwood and Gaunt find fleeting moments of solace in one another as their friends endlessly die around them, knowing at any moment they could be next.
Winn masterfully shows the way youth were manipulated into wanting to be remembered and glorified. Propaganda, fear, labelling… Especially for those who are already on the fringes of society and facing dislike or stigma from their peers.
”Over the top, you cowardly bastards!” I cried, my voice breaking, because I did not want to do it, I didn’t, Elly, I knew those men, but what other choice had I? They were stupid with fear, and only more fear would move them.
Running through this novel is the beauty of poetry. Both Gaunt and Ellwood love poetry and constantly recite it. I have never considered myself a poetry fan, however this book interwove poetry in such a way that profoundly touched on the harrowing, unspeakable experience of war.
“My dearest, darling Sidney,' There was nothing else. Only dead white paper, blank and meaningless. A comma, followed by nothing. Death summed up by grammar.”
I am genuinely amazed that this is a debut novel. It feels like a classic piece of literature. I will not be surprised if this is studied at school.
So why isn’t this a raving five stars? I think because there were so many characters and deaths that I just felt a disconnect. I know Winn was showing how the war didn’t discriminate and killed and killed and killed. Yet, I need time to settle with characters.
I think some moments also just felt too melodramatic for me, like a scene made big for theatre production.
If you enjoyed this, I would recommend The Warm Hand of Ghosts by Katherine Arden.
Tennyson from “The Charge of the Light Brigade”, 1854:
Half a league, half a league,
Half a league onward,
All in the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.
“Forward, the Light Brigade!
Charge for the guns!” he said.
Into the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.