Welcome to Litsy!

Gaunt hears Ellwood quoting poetry to a boy in his room. The boy does not even know what the words are from.
"He [Gaunt] knew the lines Ellwood had quoted. They were from Shakespeare's Sonnet 20. Ellwood had written them in pencil on the wall above Gaunt's bed, and Gaunt had hoped they meant something."

40 pages in and I can tell this book is going to destroy me.

Gaunt and Elwood meet at boarding school. Gaunt taciturn, a boxer. Elwood beautiful, a poet. They adore each other but will not say it. Then the First World War happens and their lives split and collide. Did I need another book about WWI? I did not. Do I like First World War poetry? I do not. Did I love this book anyway? I did indeed. The most beautiful story of hidden love, friendship, privilege and class.

Ellwood and Gaunt, two English prep school boys, tore my heart out again and again! They‘re 18 years old when The Great War takes them from school. The atrocities of the war are horrifying and recounted in this book with study of actual events. The two boys face the front together but suffer different challenges, wounds, and emotional pain. The utter loss of life is devastating and Winn handles it with care. Ultimately, a love story that I adored.

Reading between games ⚽️

Tragic! 😭
But so good! Nearly halfway and I‘m super invested.

This book was beautiful and horrific. The love between the two characters - first forbidden then tragically foiled in other ways, is heartbreaking but also hopeful. The descriptions of WW1 are absolutely devastating. I really liked this book

I did get SOME sleep, but the tagged kept me up WAY too late. And occasionally, I would try to go to sleep and found I couldn't stop thinking about the characters, so I'd turn the light back on and read some more!

#SundayFunday @BookmarkTavern

Wow… this book. I bought it when it first came out but kept putting off reading it. Perhaps because I thought it might destroy me and perhaps because I feared it might be over-hyped. Yes, very much, to the first and, no definitely not, to the second.

This would have made my favourites of 2023 if I‘d have read it then, and I can‘t see it NOT making my 2024 favourites, even at this early stage in the year.

My day is all booked…

Hubby has gone out for the day, but made me a real fire before he went, so this afternoon I shall settle down with these two books. (Plus, of course, I have others on the go on various digital platforms). M&S we‘re giving away free chocolate today - perfect timing! 😃

Before that it‘s a spot of ironing and cleaning, whilst listening to Sunburn.

All of the above books are eligible for / rumoured for the Women‘s Prize.

Started this last night and so far it is more than living up to the hype! Finally. I feel like I've gone in with too high expectations on a lot of books lately.
Plan for the afternoon and evening: Finish the whole book so it will count as my "Best of January".

This is a touching love story of Gaunt and Elwood, two young men who leave school to join the army during WWI. The battle scenes are heartbreaking, vivid and horrific. Some of the scenes reminded me of WWI poetry, and in the author‘s note Winn gives credit to all of the poems and books that she used when writing the novel. I did feel that the story turned a bit melodramatic at times, but overall the book is wonderful.

What a stunningly beautiful novel. Heart wrenching, but incredible. Please Alice Winn, write more novels, even if it‘s about depressing subjects like war. This certainly helped convince me, that my views of pacifism are correct. War is a terrible, worthless action that should ALWAYS be avoided.

#12DaysofChristmas #Day8

In Memoriam was so good, heart wrenchingly so. It‘s one I wish I could read for the first time again. But August
was another stellar reading month so here are a few that could easily take the top: Chain Gang All Stars, Forgotten on Sunday, Tom Lake, Shark Heart and Joan.

@Andrew65

New day, new book.
I will read more of it later after my morning shift, now it's 6 A.M. and I read only 30 pages of it but I'm highly curious about it

This book! Wow!

Well... I guess November means big boys 😂😅

October Reads!
5 🌟
In Memoriam: Alice Winn📖
Empire of Pain🎧
4.5 🌟
Black AF History: Michael Harriott🎧
The Bee Sting: Paul Murray📖
The Vaster Wilds: Lauren Groff 📖
3.5🌟
Beyond The Door of No Return: David Diop 📖
3 🌟
The Great Reclamation: Rachel Heng🎧
Learned By Heart: Emma Donoghue🎧
Do Tell: Lindsay Lynch🎧

5 🌟. I read this slowly because it was y I did not want it to end. A novel about love, war, and survival. Amazind debut. So very happy I read this. It is one of the top reads of 2023 for me.

1) In Memoriam gets all the stars. I also LOVED Tom Lake on audio.
2) The writing was so beautiful. I haven‘t stopped thinking about it yet.

Tagging everyone!

#Two4Tuesday

@TheSpineView

Yup, I was right, it completely destroyed me.

Emotionally engaging, it makes you fall in love with these characters. Combined with the unflinching devastation of trench warfare in WW1, this one will continuously wrench your soul. Beautifully written, impeccably researched to create such an absorbing atmosphere.

This was a #BlameitonLitsy puck for me, and I highly recommend it!

This book was on several Booker prediction list with some even picking it to win. It is a shame it didn‘t make the list. It shattered my heart into a million pieces. A coming of age story of two young men who are compelled to enlist with the British army and are quickly sent to the front. It will definitely be on my top of the year list.

Just started this one on my lunch break. This is going to destroy me, isn't it?

I‘m halfway through the audiobook. The narration by Christian Coulson is excellent. It‘s quite a read.

"My father told me," West continued. "Said he ought to have been shot."
"Your father thinks everyone ought to be shot," said Roseveare.
"Not everyone," protested West.
"Well, let's see," said Pritchard, counting on his fingers. He was on the cistern, his knees bracketing West, who sat on the toilet lid. "There are the homosexuals, the Catholics, the Irish, and anyone who doesn't like dogs."

Absolutely loved this. Broke my heart on so many levels. Can‘t believe it‘s a debut novel.

Been working since 7am. I‘ve stopped for a read. This book is 😢 💔

This is not a typical WWI book. The author has wonderful character development and she weaves the plot in a clever way with many unexpected twists and turns. I was drawn into this book, cheering on the character of Gaunt and Ellwood as they discover themselves and their relationship in the midst of navigating a war as young boys who quickly turn into men. An excellent debut novel which I have read is being turned into a film.

Popped into my local indie on my way home from a meeting this morning - I knew the meeting would be meh so I promised myself a little treat afterwards. ?

Not only did I have a voucher from the lovely @julesG but I also found a full loyalty card from the shop in my purse - (c8 off!

Plus, a brand new copy of Booktime that smells deliciously of new printing. (Yes, I‘m weird! ?)

In Memoriam begins in 1914. Two privileged boarding school students, Gaunt - a half-German- and Ellwood - with Jewish heritage - fall in love but both cannot admit their feelings to one another. Then Gaunt enlists in the army and Ellwood follows to be with him. A tender love story, reimagining the horrors of WW1. A soft pick for me as some scenes are very long and drawn-out.

Excited to do nothing the next few days but drink lemonade and read this.

Sure, In Memoriam is sad but I wanted it to be even sadder.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️,5/5

#AliceWinn #historicalfiction #novel

A love story from public prep school to the WWI trenches and beyond. Told without sentimentality but with careful respect to the time, the warrior and a love that daren‘t speak its name. Stayed up beyond midnight to finish then had a hard time falling asleep. I couldn‘t stop thinking about those brave men of the Somme and those who had to live in secret. Sad story beautifully told. 5⭐️

Starting this today. Reading the Guardian describe it as “echoes of Brideshead Revisited and Atonement” I ran to the bookstore. Loved both.

I found myself in awe at this novel, devouring it at lunch time, on the tube, at night. Ms. Winn tells a heart-breaking love story during a terrible period of history, devastating and horrifying. I loved that she doesn‘t shy away from the horrors of war, its absurdity, the profound loss of life on all sides, its last line all the more haunting. Gaunt and Ellwood shine as characters: brilliant, in love, flawed, and so human. Hauntingly beautiful!