Mythological Intervention in Lovely War | Book Review

【 LOVELY WAR 】

Heartbreaking in all the right places.

Genre: Historical Fiction, Mythology
Author: Julie Berry
Published: March 2019
Publisher: Viking
Pages: 471 (hardback)

Having been repeatedly recommended this book and knowing that this book is made for me – what with Mythology and WWI fiction bundled together – I’m so pleased to have finally read this.

I did find it a slow read because I didn’t pick it up frequently, but when I did, I flew through the pages. I loved the way the tale is spun by the various Greek gods in some strange trial about the infidelity of Aphrodite. That added such a unique element!

However, on the flip side I also felt this story could have stood strongly on its own if it didn’t have any mythology and was the war fiction.

The turbulent romance between the main characters of James and Hazel was sensational. I don’t think I’ve ever loved a fictional couple like this – their story really pulls you in and doesn’t let you go.

And then to top it off, we have the complications of Celeste (Belgian) and Audrey (African American) navigating the racism mine field of the early 20th century.

I’d definitely recommend this book for something a little different, and for what felt like one of the greatest fictional romances I’ve read in a long time.

Grab a copy!