4 out of 4 stars
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War, no matter how you look at it, will have victims on both sides. Each person lost will have had their own story, a past with regrets, hopes and dreams for the future. In Joe Kilgore’s A Farmhouse In The Rain, we get to experience, with fictional characters, some of the trials of the soldiers of World War II, as well as those of loved ones left behind.
Set just after the bombing of Pearl Harbour, this book begins with America’s joining with the Allied Forces and the sending of her own troops to the front line. It follows the stories of Riley, Brendon and Paul, three young men from very different walks of life, as they learn that no matter what their social standing, criminal background or inexperience, every man is the same when you’re crawling through mud, waiting for a bullet to hit. Through these shared experiences they forge a friendship based on trust, as they start having to place their lives in each other’s hands. The three men’s friendship is finally pushed to the limit when they are unintentionally involved in a murder. A murder that will come back to haunt them in ways they never would have expected.
The story flips back and forth between the men’s journey through training and combat, to that of their loved ones back in their home towns, where the world, which now seems so far away, continues to move on without them. The women left behind must try to find their own way as they are forced to manage without the men in their lives. Will the men ever be able to be part of this world again?
The stark reality of war is introduced right from the first chapter, with immediate heart wrenching imagery. The way that the author flips between the stories of war to that of the civilian life of those left behind, makes this contrast even more vivid and the imagery of war more poignant and terrible. Many books focusing on the subject of war are almost unbearably sad, this is luckily not the case with this book, as it balances the emotional ups and downs of the story well. Although there are times of grief and gore, it does not try to overwhelm the story.
I liked the way the main characters matured as they were faced with different obstacles to overcome, not only with the three men but with the women as well. It looked at how they had to adapt to the changing times, the increase in responsibilities with the men away at war, and to make the most of whatever situations they found themselves in, while always putting on a brave face. I’ve found a lot of war fiction does not focus so much on the ones left behind and how they cope with the day to day life, all the while waiting for any word from the front line. I really enjoyed how this book incorporated this aspect.
A Farmhouse In The Rain is written in third person, and has a fast paced writing style. It reminded me in parts of the books by Sebastian Faulks, however with less emphasis on the gore of the battlefield. I did find the amount of coincidences happening in this book to be a little unbelievable, however it did not take away any of the enjoyment of the book.
I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars, as it was a wonderfully written book, which I thoroughly enjoyed reading. Not only was it a story of war, but also one of peace and the strength of love. It balanced every element so well and with such honesty, describing the lives affected by war without glorifying it. I would recommend this book to any who enjoy war fiction and mystery.
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A Farmhouse In The Rain
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