A review by terranstorm
In Memoriam by Alice Winn

emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

This was superb. I don't reach for historical fiction very often, no special interest in WWI here, but I really loved this. I appreciated the way the story is carried both by our two mains AND their many letters with various others. Oh! And even the printed reports of casualties and the injured (which I say first in the ebook, then experienced differently in the audiobook; it was surprisingly well-managed for the audio format). 

The thread of slowly building romance between Ellwood and Gaunt felt well-balanced with the drama and action, contemplation of the machine of war, and the very deep, very personal injuries both suffered (physically and mentally). The prose is lovely and slow and haunting throughout. They struggle and don't necessarily "get better" but they keep trying, work to grow and forgive.

It's not a one-to-one comparison at all, but: I think this is great for fans of works like the Song of Achilles. Although it's a different sort of tragedy than that, the feeling was along the same lines: I went into this looking for a good, hearty cry and boy, I got it.
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