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Ariadne's Thread by Gavin James (view source)
Revision as of 16:38, 1 November 2011
, 16:38, 1 November 2011no edit summary
It's also the story of Captain Will Thomson – Cambridge graduate, linguist and member of one of those divisions of the army which didn't encourage discussion of their activities, even with their nearest and dearest. Like Elena, his brother had been killed at the beginning of the war and both were driven to fight for what they believed to be right – he with guile and weaponry and she with what limited medical facilities were available and often in no less danger than Will. They met in Cairo, the threads of their lives crossing and interweaving with both knowing that it was almost certain that they would have no choice but to go their separate ways.
Oh, what a story this is. You'll have to search to find out, but it was inspired by the life of the author's mother-in-law, although this is far more than a the retelling of a family story. It's backed by meticulous research (you can check out the bibliography) and I promise that you are going to be out there as the fighting rages or dealing with the aftermath. There's a romance at the heart of this story but it's not one for the faint-hearted or for those unable to accept the effect that war has on those involved. It's also a real page-turner.
You can't help but warm to Elena. She's feisty, brave and honest. Whilst she's got no problems with treating enemy soldiers if that's what's required, she knows that forgiveness and forgetting isn't on the cards any time soon. She's human, after all. Will's a gentleman – kind, considerate and thoughtful – but when violence is a part of your service life how do you stop it bleeding through into 'normal' life, even if the life you encounter is rarely normal? They're great characters who live on in your mind after you've finished reading.