If you like to live in your books --- feel the weather, the pains and the frustrations --- then you will loveThe Poppy Wife What makes it so special is its subject and point of view. In our history, the Great War was fast eclipsed by the next war and ejected from our cultural memory, yet it stands as a major turning point with consequences the world continues to deal with today. Caroline Scott takes all of that and wraps it in a story with a perspective that shifts from warrior to survivor to spouse, and does so with elegance ... Scott puts on a great display of literary finesse. Amidst the images of mud, plaster and mental anguish, she treats readers to beautiful poetry and prose that moves and inspires ... imagery, biblical symbolism and even names add texture and depth to these characters ... The research is impeccable. Scott’s description of the war is pure history, yet she has spun the hard, cold horrors into personal struggles to which the reader can relate.
Caroline Scott’s absorbing debut novel, The Poppy Wife, takes readers into the aftermath of World War I as people rebuild their lives. But it could be any war, any time, with the universal themes she explores ... Scott’s vivid writing puts us in the minds of the protagonists as they search, remember and regret. A typical tale would have readers hoping for a joyful reunion, but the more we learn, the more conflicted we become ... The Poppy Wife arrives a year after the centennial observances of the war’s official end on Nov. 11, 1918, and the timing seems perfect. It reminds us that just because something has ended doesn’t mean it’s over.
British historian Scott debuts with an unsettling close-up take on the staggering losses to a family shattered by a 1917 Western Front conflict ... Scott’s bold novel, inspired by her own family history, is instantly appealing for historical fiction fans. But the timeless story of love, loyalty, and honor will have appeal for readers of all interests.
