This book was given to me by my sister-in-law C for bookcrossing. It is a paperback showing signs of wear.

From the inside cover:- "Faulks tells what is essentially a simple story of the nightmare of Flanders mud, but in the accumulation of detail, and in its tone of emotional restraint-neither sensational nor sentimental-it is transformed into something of exquisite pathos. It is impossible to remain unmoved by the knowledge that this fiction is true, that unspeakable carnage and unexpected honour happened a mere two generations ago." Nigel Watts-'Time Out'."

REVIEW:- At first I found this book rather hard to get into and I was also a bit disconcerted to leave the men in the middle of the WWI battlefields and jump forward in time to 1978. However I soon got interested in Elizabeth's family history research. The book is very well written and made me very emotional several times with its graphic descriptions of the fighting and the dreadful conditions suffered by the soldiers, to say nothing of the needless slaughter of so many men.
I felt that the story was rather drawn out towards the end and it left one or two questions unanswered with regard to Elizabeth."

REVIEW:- My husband has also read part of this book but he got bored with it so didn't finish it.

I am now reserving it for my sister-in-law who actually gave it to me in the first place as I think she would like it, so I'm giving her the chance to read it before I release it.

This book will be given to my sister-in-law C when we meet for lunch. She did in fact give it to me in the first place but it transpired that she hasn't actually read it. Therefore, as I enjoyed it I'm passing it back to her in the hope that she will enjoy it too.

To the finder:-
Welcome to bookcrossing -you have found a travelling book. Please make a journal entry now to say where you found the book in case it has been moved. Then, when you have read it, please come back and make a further entry saying whether or not you enjoyed the book and why. It is now yours to do as you like with it, pass it to a friend or just leave it somewhere different for someone else to find and help it with its' journey. Of course if you can't bear to part with it at the moment then keep it, but please let me know that you have found it. If you join bookcrossing, which is free and spam-free, you can follow the book on its' travels as you will get an email each time it changes hands, but if you prefer to remain anonymous, that's fine too. Please also say what you intend to do with the book next. Thanks for coming onto the site to let me know you have found the book.

I already have books travelling in Australia, Austria, Brazil, the Canary Islands, the Channel Islands, Croatia, Finland, France, Germany, Holland, Indonesia, Madeira, New Zealand, Portugal, Scotland, Spain, Turkey, the U.S.A, Wales and all over England.

My sister in law passed this book on to me. I didnt enjoy reading about the senseless
killing but I found it very interesting as I have been researching a family member whose death is actually commemorated at Thiepval.

This book will be left in the ladies changing room at the gym.


To the finder:-
Welcome to bookcrossing -you have found a travelling book. Please make a journal entry now to say where you found the book in case it has been moved. Then, when you have read it, please come back and make a further entry saying whether or not you enjoyed the book and why. It is now yours to do as you like with it, pass it to a friend or just leave it somewhere different for someone else to find and help it with its' journey. Of course if you can't bear to part with it at the moment then keep it, but please let me know that you have found it. If you join bookcrossing, which is free and spam-free, you can follow the book on its' travels as you will get an email each time it changes hands, but if you prefer to remain anonymous, that's fine too. Please also say what you intend to do with the book next. Thanks for coming onto the site to let me know you have found the book.

I already have books travelling in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, the Canary Islands, the Channel Islands, Croatia, the Falkland Islands, Finland, France, Germany, Holland, Indonesia, Madeira, Mauritius, New Zealand, Portugal, Scotland, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, the U.S.A, Wales and all over England.

Pleased to see a BC registered book on the guest bookshelf at Ragdale Hall. I have read this book but will take to release at the London Meet Up.

Taken to the BC London Meet Up

Usually, I can't stand romance and romantic books, but with this novel that's the only thing I really liked. I was curious because it's named among the best novels of the 20th Century, but for me all the WWI chapters were not really interesting and I felt they were too many and too long. The parts in which Elizabeth was the main character interested me again.

Released this Tuesday.

Found where you left it. Have had my eye on reading this for years based on its reputation. Thanks for the free book :)

I enjoyed the bit where Isabelle catches some of Stephen's semen in her mouth, but otherwise I was a little unsure of this novel at first; but as the story went on it grew and grew in power. He has this way of giving you these little details, I don't know if he's imagined them or found them in accounts of the war, but they're amazing and made the whole thing feel real to me.

Interesting to see the similarities to The Girl at the Lion d'Or: the orphan, the slightly freckled woman, adultery and that massive metaphor of excavation mirroring a character's psychological condition.

I took this to the monthly meet at the Fox & Raven and released it along with the rest of the trilogy:

The Girl at the Lion d'Or
http://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/13588027/
Charlotte Gray
http://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/13608219/

Great to meet you and thanks for the lift.

I've already read this and have my own copy so I picked up this copy to relocate it to Buscall and Flynn's next week and keep it moving.
The sex scenes must surely make it a strong contender for the bad sex award but otherwise this is a very powerful account of men's experiences in the trenches in WW1 and, very claustrophobic, tunnelling through the sand to undermine the German lines.

On the bookshelf upstairs.