The Lie by Helen Dunmore
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Note: I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in place of an honest review.
This is a simple story, interspersing three periods of a man’s life: as a child, fighting in the Great War and finally upon his return. This is the second book of Helen’s that I’ve read, the first being Burning Bright (1995). Her poetic writing, gorgeous in that earlier work, has matured significantly. The fluid, evocative style creates believable characters and dramatically sets each scene, creating a book that is a joy to read. If you like war stories heavy on plot, Birdsong springs to mind, then this probably isn’t for you, but if you enjoy getting lost in meandering prose, you won’t go wrong with The Lie.