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Title: In Memoriam
Author: Alice Winn
Genre: Historical, literary, romance
Length: Standalone
Rating: 5/5
A well-deserved winner of The British Book Awards 2024 Debut Fiction. I had heard amazing things before picking up this book, and I was not disappointed. My favorite genre is historical fiction, and this book vividly portrays the terror of the Western Front in France and Belgium. This book immediately became a Midnight Read for me! I have much to say about this book, but let me start with a short, spoiler-free summary.
Summary
It's 1914, and the Great War breaks out. "We'll be home before Christmas," they say. However, for our two main characters, Gaunt and Ellwood, the war is far from their reality. They're too young to enlist, and Gaunt is fighting his own battles—dreaming about Ellwood but unable to confront him. He's clueless that his best friend, Ellwood, is in love with him too.
As the war progresses, social pressure to join the trenches grows. After his mother begs him to fight in the British army to protect the family from anti-German attacks, and after receiving a white feather, 18-year-old Gaunt decides to enlist.
After communicating with Gaunt at the front, Ellwood can't bear to wait for school to finish. He follows Gaunt to the trenches, and soon his classmates join them. In a world of death, with their peers dying around them, Gaunt and Ellwood find fleeting moments together to distract each other from the horrors of the Great War.
“The Hague Convention sought to make war more humane. We had reached a point in history where we believed it was possible to make war humane.”―Alice Winn, In Memoriam
My thoughts
As mentioned, I have numerous thoughts about this book. First, Winn's writing style is captivating. It's harsh and doesn't downplay the war's realities. The rough and graphic style works exceptionally well with this story. For instance, consider this quote:
"It was the Hell you'd feared in childhood, come to devour the children. It was treading over the corpses of your friends so that you might be killed yourself. It was the congealed evil of a century."― Alice Winn, In Memoriam
This quote captures the terror of The Great War: "Treading over the corpses of your friends, so that you might be killed yourself." It's not strangers dying before you; it's friends, perhaps even brothers. Winn captures this truly tragic period brilliantly. I'm pleased about this because I often feel many books downplay or even romanticize wars, which isn't the case here. Another series that effectively portrays the horrors of war is The Poppy War.
The book employs some unique formatting techniques. While the story is primarily told in third person, some chapters consist only of letter correspondence between the main characters and their families. These letters, written in first person, are an excellent addition to the story. They demonstrate the impossibility of fully grasping the horrors of war, as being shown in this quote:
"It's not like mud, Elly, it's cursed, It's — Like everything else I can't explain." ― Alice Winn, In Memoriam
Besides the effective first-person switch, the letters also highlight contrast. They're mainly between Gaunt at the front and Ellwood at school, illustrating their vastly different concerns—Gaunt trying to survive while Ellwood discusses joining a secret society.
Another unique formatting element is the use of newspapers in the story. For example, you can see the Roll of Honour, listing those who died at the front. The newspaper used is from Ellwood and Gaunt's school. Alongside the Roll of Honour, there are In Memoriams added, written by friends and based on real memorials. This brings the story even more to life.
My rating
This was a wonderful, deeply engaging, and emotional read. I recommend checking the trigger warnings. However, I can't give this book anything less than five stars. The story captivated me; I felt as if I were right there with them on the firing line, going over the top. It illustrates how war impacts people differently, showing its horrors while also including some light, fun moments—especially if you know some French (history.) The ending, unexpected and moving, made me tear up. I can't recommend this book enough. It's powerful and beautiful, and to think this is only Alice Winn's debut novel! I've tried to keep this review short, but there are so many noteworthy elements in this book. If you've read it, please send me a message—I'm need to discuss it with someone. Want to read more historical fiction books? Go to the books with dark themes page or to the 5 books with strong character development page!
“He'll be alright, said Hayes. He just needs a rest, that's all. He's tired. We're all tired. Tired. A new word ought to be invented, if this was tired.”―Alice Winn, In Memoriam
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