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pedantic_reader's review
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
xanadu_'s review against another edition
emotional
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
slevos's review
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
lattelibrarian's review
4.0
What a book. I bought this from Persephone books based off of the excerpt they provided, so all I knew was that the language flowed well for me and it looked interesting enough. To my surprise, it was World War fiction, which isn't a genre I prefer (I took a British Lit class pertaining to World War I literature, and it just never caught my fancy). But after the first chapter, I was hooked.
Willie is such a funny character. He's also a little sad, and sometimes a little pathetic, but I found him to be charming altogether. He's had quite the unfortunate life, filled with rejection, heartbreak, and difficulties getting promoted. However, that's not to say that the book is depressing--it's actually quite humorous. Cooper throws in humor at just the right times, in just the right conversations. It's as though you're reading about real people rather than characters! When characters are that real in books, I know that those books find themselves rather high on my favorites list.
Additionally, because this book is about war, I have to say that it's not gory or bloody whatsoever. Cooper does a really nice job of talking about just how horrific the things were by not talking about them ("'Come on,' he urged, 'tell me more about it. What sort of time did you have?' / 'Pretty bloody,' she said, and he could get nothing more out of her, but he felt as he returned to the country that she had come closer to the war than he had.")
What I also really liked was how Duff Cooper writes about those getting involved in the war. It wasn't simply just patriotism that ignited the flame in these characters. It was a sense of duty, a hatred of Nazis, the want to have a steady job after the war (if they survived).
One other thing that I really enjoyed was how he wrote women--there are two main women in this novel, and a couple others scattered around. And why I really enjoyed his writing of these women is that (taking into account that this was written over 50 years ago, of course) all of the women had their own lives. They had their own aspirations, and they acted on them. And Willie, as well-meaning as he is, can't possibly understand this. These women are just too against the grain. He never truly holds it against them, though he does find himself to be frustrated from time to time.
All in all, I just really enjoyed this book. This book was also the first book in probably a year that I read all in one day. The ending felt whole and complete, and I closed the book feeling satisfied, if not a little melancholy, too. I can see why Persephone Books chose to reprint this one--it's full of life, human emotions, and great writing.
Get the full review here!
Willie is such a funny character. He's also a little sad, and sometimes a little pathetic, but I found him to be charming altogether. He's had quite the unfortunate life, filled with rejection, heartbreak, and difficulties getting promoted. However, that's not to say that the book is depressing--it's actually quite humorous. Cooper throws in humor at just the right times, in just the right conversations. It's as though you're reading about real people rather than characters! When characters are that real in books, I know that those books find themselves rather high on my favorites list.
Additionally, because this book is about war, I have to say that it's not gory or bloody whatsoever. Cooper does a really nice job of talking about just how horrific the things were by not talking about them ("'Come on,' he urged, 'tell me more about it. What sort of time did you have?' / 'Pretty bloody,' she said, and he could get nothing more out of her, but he felt as he returned to the country that she had come closer to the war than he had.")
What I also really liked was how Duff Cooper writes about those getting involved in the war. It wasn't simply just patriotism that ignited the flame in these characters. It was a sense of duty, a hatred of Nazis, the want to have a steady job after the war (if they survived).
One other thing that I really enjoyed was how he wrote women--there are two main women in this novel, and a couple others scattered around. And why I really enjoyed his writing of these women is that (taking into account that this was written over 50 years ago, of course) all of the women had their own lives. They had their own aspirations, and they acted on them. And Willie, as well-meaning as he is, can't possibly understand this. These women are just too against the grain. He never truly holds it against them, though he does find himself to be frustrated from time to time.
All in all, I just really enjoyed this book. This book was also the first book in probably a year that I read all in one day. The ending felt whole and complete, and I closed the book feeling satisfied, if not a little melancholy, too. I can see why Persephone Books chose to reprint this one--it's full of life, human emotions, and great writing.
Get the full review here!
andrew61's review against another edition
4.0
Based on the true story recently filmed as operation mincemeat this brilliant novel by Duff Cooper who was actively involved in the plan is an imagining of the life of the 'man who never was'.
Willie is the central character, who is orphaned in ww1 but is determined to fight but in enlisting in the latter days of 1918 after he turns 18 the armistice, to his dissatisfaction comes to soon for him to see action.
The rest of his life is one lived under that shadow and as ww2 arrives he is too old to be sent by his regiment back to the battlefields.
This is a wonderfully imagined and moving tale and have a tissue ready for Felicity's letter at the end .
Willie is the central character, who is orphaned in ww1 but is determined to fight but in enlisting in the latter days of 1918 after he turns 18 the armistice, to his dissatisfaction comes to soon for him to see action.
The rest of his life is one lived under that shadow and as ww2 arrives he is too old to be sent by his regiment back to the battlefields.
This is a wonderfully imagined and moving tale and have a tissue ready for Felicity's letter at the end .
smj_phie's review against another edition
4.0
This might be one of the cleverest novels I encountered to date!
Based on the true story of a pivotal and top secret Operation, that may have decided the outcome of WW2 this short book takes you along in the life of Willie Maryngton, a young man dying to prove himself in combat but just too young to see action in the First World War and just too old for the Second.
At first this read to me like a fairly entertaining piece but also very much of it's time and a bit bland. But oh, the plot twist, I didn't see anything coming... I was honestly wowed!
Go buy the beautiful Persephone edition & read this!!
Based on the true story of a pivotal and top secret Operation, that may have decided the outcome of WW2 this short book takes you along in the life of Willie Maryngton, a young man dying to prove himself in combat but just too young to see action in the First World War and just too old for the Second.
At first this read to me like a fairly entertaining piece but also very much of it's time and a bit bland. But oh, the plot twist, I didn't see anything coming... I was honestly wowed!
Go buy the beautiful Persephone edition & read this!!
quietjenn's review against another edition
5.0
Totally appropriate title there, your Honorable. This is slight, but wonderful and affecting and not at all what I was expecting. Best to go into with as little knowledge as possible, but loved it.
catebutler's review against another edition
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.0
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