Lovely War by Julie Berry
It's 1917, and World War I is at its zenith when Hazel and James first catch sight of each other at a London party. She's a shy and talented pianist; he's a newly minted soldier with dreams of becoming an architect. When they fall in love, it's immediate and deep--and cut short when James is shipped off to the killing fields.
Aubrey Edwards is also headed toward the trenches. A gifted musician who's played Carnegie Hall, he's a member of the 15th New York Infantry, an all-African-American regiment being sent to Europe to help end the Great War. Love is the last thing on his mind. But that's before he meets Colette Fournier, a Belgian chanteuse who's already survived unspeakable tragedy at the hands of the Germans.
Thirty years after these four lovers' fates collide, the Greek goddess Aphrodite tells their stories to her husband, Hephaestus, and her lover, Ares, in a luxe Manhattan hotel room at the height of World War II. She seeks to answer the age-old question: Why are Love and War eternally drawn to one another? But her quest for a conclusion that will satisfy her jealous husband uncovers a multi-threaded tale of prejudice, trauma, and music and reveals that War is no match for the power of Love.
Series: Standalone
Published by: Viking Books for Young Readers on March 5th, 2019
Pages: 480
Format: Paperback
I picked up this book at Barns N' Nobles along with Alex and Eliza by Marissa de la Cruz. I had to read Alex and Eliza for school and I was allowed to pick another book. My older sister suggested Lovely War claiming she heard good things about the book and after I read the blurb, I agreed. She read the books first and wrote some annotations and comments, and when she finished the book a few hours later, she said this was an amazing book and close to perfection. When I read it the next day, I found out that she was correct, Lovely War is close to perfection and a pure piece of art and magic.
This book was absolutely amazing! The book wove Greek Mythology into history and it turned out like pure gold. The author let Aphrodite weave the fates of Hazel, James, Colette, and Aubrey and she wove it perfectly. Since I am practically obsessed with the PJO world, I was delighted that I found out that Lovely War included a Greek Mythology tale. I loved how the author wrote this novel and it gave me a new sense to try to read more Historical Fiction books.
I would definitely recommend this book to someone who enjoys Historical Fiction novels along with hints of Mythology. Lovely War gave me more interest in Historical Fiction novels and I can't wait to reread this novel again. Nevertheless, Lovely War was an amazing piece of art and I loved everything about it. The story weaves the beauty and loss of human life and how we should treasure every moment like its the last <3
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