The Great War, or World War I, was no easy time for all involved, least of all those
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who actually fought in the trenches. It is Engoand in the summer of 1920--the war is well
over, but the fallout of that war continues to rage. Two young veterans of the war, Birkin
and Moon, find they are neighbors at Oxgodby. Birkin has been commissioned to restore a
medieval wall painting in the local church and Moon is looking for the long-lost remains of
an Anglo-Saxon chieftain, reputedly buried nearby. Both are emotional cripples form the
war and this is the story of their dealing with their problems. Author Carr carefully works
this story into a poignant read, a story of successes on the one hand and disappointments
on the other. It is the story of relationships and of the characters dealing with them, from
these two young men, to the Vicar and his young wife, and to a young girl who is terminally
ill. Shortlisted for the Booker Prize, this short novel gives an excellent accounting of the
war's aftermath.
The review of this Book prepared by Bill Hobbs