When I first started this book, I thought it was like hundreds of other books of the same era. Just after WWI. Upper-class soldier returned home with an injury falls in love with a girl he sees performing in a show. While many of the common themes are present, the psychological aspect of a man who has seen the horrors of war is more deeply explored then in many of these books.
Stephen falls in love with Lily, hoping she can help him forget the horrors of a war he did not want to fight. Lily, however is in love with her career on the stage. Mrs Winters, Stephen's mother, is concerned about the impression Lily would make on her well ordered upper-class life. Mr Winters is an invalid since the death of his first-born son.
This is a story about many different types of love. It is about the clash of worlds. It is about the aftermath of a the war that took a generation and scarred those who survived it.
After I was about a third of the way through this book, I could not put it down. The first bit was readable, but then it became enthralling. Highly recommended to anyone who likes books about the post-WWI era.
Showing posts with label WWI. Show all posts
Showing posts with label WWI. Show all posts
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Pamela Pope "A Collar of Jewels"
I have read this book a few times before. It isn't one I read all the time but was certainly one I enjoyed re-reading.
The story starts in 1890, when Ellie, the daughter of a rich Catholic business man, by chance meets Max, the son of a poor Jewish carpenter working as a waiter. Max saves Ellie's life but the two do not come into contact again for a few years. What follows is a story of romance, one-sided love, bravery, betrayal, loyalty, forgiveness and prejudices that spans two decades. It is set in England and the US in the early twentieth century and during World War I against the background of poverty, extreme wealth, business and the war zone. There are references to unionism, the growing rail industry, family disputes and the issues of an inter-religious marriage.
Ellie falls for Max and he ends up marrying her when she finds herself pregnant. Circumstances eventually mean they flee to England, funded by money from Ellie's mother much to Max's discomfort. Max then abandons Ellie to fend for herself and their baby son while he returns to the US and so the years progress.
"A Collar of Jewels" is a typical example of its genre, but it is a good read. I imagine I will read it again!
The story starts in 1890, when Ellie, the daughter of a rich Catholic business man, by chance meets Max, the son of a poor Jewish carpenter working as a waiter. Max saves Ellie's life but the two do not come into contact again for a few years. What follows is a story of romance, one-sided love, bravery, betrayal, loyalty, forgiveness and prejudices that spans two decades. It is set in England and the US in the early twentieth century and during World War I against the background of poverty, extreme wealth, business and the war zone. There are references to unionism, the growing rail industry, family disputes and the issues of an inter-religious marriage.
Ellie falls for Max and he ends up marrying her when she finds herself pregnant. Circumstances eventually mean they flee to England, funded by money from Ellie's mother much to Max's discomfort. Max then abandons Ellie to fend for herself and their baby son while he returns to the US and so the years progress.
"A Collar of Jewels" is a typical example of its genre, but it is a good read. I imagine I will read it again!
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