The Lie
by Helen Dunmore
We were a small group this month, but
Steve did send his review
which was very welcome.
We had divergent views about this book, and it generated much discussion, but we all agreed it was very well written.
Many felt that it was like reading “prose in a poetic manner”.
However this clever use of language made the story more disturbing and parts of the book very distressful for some of us.
The novel is noted for its graphic descriptions of the horrors of the trenches in WW1.
Some disliked the ending and wanted a happier one and others thought that it was a “good” one for Daniel.
We all agreed that the characters were well-drawn and the relationships were sensitively portrayed.
The story illustrated how difficult homosexual relationships were in the 1920s, and how the class the characters were born into, defined their future life.
Although Frederick’s ghost haunts the book, there were many other ghosts in the story from childhood memories to the trenches of the WW1.
One member thought the settings should have been more defined but most felt they were quite happy with place descriptions.
We all thought the book was well researched, well written and a good description of post-traumatic stress disorder, but many of us felt a happy book would be welcomed soon.
CC, 15th September, 2019.
AABC Rating: 3.8 Stars.
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