Lovely War by Julie Berry

 

Summary (from the publisher): 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.

A sweeping, multi-layered romance with a divine twist, by the Printz Honor-winning author of The Passion of Dolssa, set in the perilous days of World Wars I and II.

Review: This was such an intriguing premise, with a frame story of the Greek goddess Aphrodite telling the stories of four different individuals to her husband Hephaestus and her lover, Ares. The story she tells is of Hazel and James, who meet in 1917 and separated by war. And it is also the story of Aubrey Edwards, a gifted musician who is part of an all-African American regiment sent to Europe during the Great War, where he meets Collette Fournier, a Belgian who has lost most of her family to the Germans. 

This is described as a multi-layered romance with a divine twist and that hits the nail on the head. This was a lovely, intricately woven plot of lovers separated by war, the harsh realities of racial prejudice, and the power and connection of music. The book illustrates the timeless battle between love and war. 

This was beautifully done on audio, with multiple narrators for different characters and instrumental interludes, which was especially fitting for a book that features multiple talented musicians. Yet I kept wishing the whole time that I had read it in a physical copy. The pacing of the is slow and steady, which I didn't appreciate as well in audio format. And I don't think I appreciated the lovely writing as much and was unable to capture any of the nice turns of phrase seen in this book. 

The frame story of Greek gods was intriguing, and their influence was seen in the mortals' storylines. But I kept wondering why exactly the book was written this way and what exactly the Greek god storyline added to the book while I was reading. I don't think I have a very concrete answer, other than mortals being subjected to the capricious whims of hidden forces, which in this case happen to be Greek gods. In short, I didn't dislike the divine component of this book, but I also think I probably would have enjoyed the story of the four mortals even without their inclusion. 

Stars: 4