Next to Love: A Novel by Ellen FeldmanMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is a stark and personal glimpse of war not just from the soldiers who served but also their families as they suffered the repercussions for years to come. Mixed in with the war is the examination of racism, sexism, and other types of bigotry that can often tear even larger rifts into communities. Each of the characters is believable and each has their own unique harmony within the refrain of the war.
Perhaps the only downfall was the constant switching between the points of view that sometimes left it feeling stilted rather than one flowing story.
Regardless, it is an excellent read and relevant to today's readers who struggle with some of the same trials of war and some new experiences that make their stories their own.
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Next to Love doesn't only deal with love and war, but also American society before and after WWII. It clearly shows the class and race struggles. I have to say that this made me view the race struggles much differently than I had previously. It is now so obvious to me that the Civil Rights Movement had to occur after WWII, as did the Women's Movement. Both were inevitable after WWII had shaken everything up so much that conventions basically flew out of the window. How could anyone really believe that things could just go back to how they were before. I loved how the author wove these things into the story, enriching the book even more.
ReplyDeleteExactly! You really explained that well - it was a beautiful book.
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