Customer Reviews

Heart of War

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This is the second novel in John Masters' WWI trilogy, "Loss of Eden", the first being titled: "Now God Be Thanked". HEART OF WAR takes place in 1916-17 England and centers around two families, the Rowlands and the Strattons. There are some absolutely priceless scenes in this novel. The teatime encounter between the Earl of Swanwick & Bill Hoggin's family is brilliant (the names alone should tell you how that scene goes), and overall, the novel is very nearly as moving to me as "Now God Be Thanked".

Yet, I have to qualify my praise of this excellent novel, because of a certain oddity... HEART OF WAR has more sex in it than "Now God Be Thanked", which doesn't necessarily have to be a bad thing, except that, in several instances, the description of sex between certain characters sounds false and hollow, and adds nothing to the book.

For instance, there's a sexual encounter between a virgin soldier, Jessop, and a French widow, that's arranged by his comrades in arms. This situation could easily have been written as sentimental, or contrived, but it rang absolutely true. The same truth is in the incidents of love between a character, Tom Rowland, and his partner. But, when Masters describes a sexual encounter between Guy Rowland and his jumped-up-from-nothing-into-an-aristocrat girlfriend, Florinda, that encounter rang false. The author's including the more graphic sex content somewhat cheapened this story... unless perhaps Masters meant to convey the breaking down; the cheapening, of WWI English society? It's still a brilliant novel, and my provisos are basically personal. I do highly recommend these books.

Masters trilogy, - Now God Be Thanked, Heart of War and In The Green Of The Spring - constitute a remarkable depiction of the effect of WWI on Great Britain and its people. Masters' military experience and knowledge of history shine throughout the books and his portrayals of people of disparate backgrounds is uncommonly perceptive and understanding. I strongly recommend these books.

This book is part of a three book series about WW1. Interesting book and a good series, but the writing style is sort of dated.