Official Review: Daffodils by Alex Martin
Posted: 06 Apr 2019, 12:26
[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Daffodils" by Alex Martin.]
3 out of 4 stars
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It was called the war to end all wars. However, it is now called World War I because there was a second one. Those slaughtered in the trenches, fighting over a few yards of land, seemingly died for nothing. Their families lost a son, a husband, or a brother to a stray bullet or a grenade. They neither gained nor lost enough ground to matter, and war did not end. The question is, what did they die for?
These ideas are explored in Alex Martin’s book Daffodils. The book itself starts a little before the beginning of the war and continues until the war is over. The main character, Katy, lives in a sleepy village in England. She works as a domestic servant, though she longs for adventure and loves to read. The opening of this book has Katy sitting “on the topmost step of the library ladder, completely absorbed in a book". The opening line gives a great sense of the rest of the book. The language is simple but descriptive enough to create a vivid image in the reader’s mind. The language used is powerful, especially in later scenes that describe the atrocities of war.
As the story progresses, Katy finds herself married to Jem. He is a man she had known since childhood. He is a loyal and faithful husband. However, the two of them face incredible suffering during their marriage, and Jem volunteers to go fight in the war. He leaves a grief-stricken Katy behind as he goes to prove his worth in a worthless fight in the trenches.
The emotions explored in the book, such as grief and forgiveness, add a layer of depth to this novel that makes it truly meaningful. The story focuses on Katy dealing with Jem being away. Katy also spends a great deal of time trying to figure out her place in the world. The multiple storylines weaving together create a sense of reality. None of the characters were perfect, and they all faced mundane struggles along with the terrible circumstances of war. This was my favorite part of the novel.
The only part I disliked about this novel was the many grammatical issues I noticed. The issues were, for the most part, missing commas. The main character’s name did switch from “Katy” to “Katie” a few times as well.
I award this book a rating of 3 out of 4 stars. It pains me to have to take away a star, but the grammatical issues are forcing my hand. I wish I could give it a perfect rating. This book was beautiful and moving, and I would recommend it to anyone fifteen or older. It’s a wonderful read. However, there are some descriptions of blood and injury. It’s a little gory at times, though there is nothing too graphic. If blood really bothers you, then avoid this one. Other than that, I highly recommend this book.
******
Daffodils
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
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3 out of 4 stars
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It was called the war to end all wars. However, it is now called World War I because there was a second one. Those slaughtered in the trenches, fighting over a few yards of land, seemingly died for nothing. Their families lost a son, a husband, or a brother to a stray bullet or a grenade. They neither gained nor lost enough ground to matter, and war did not end. The question is, what did they die for?
These ideas are explored in Alex Martin’s book Daffodils. The book itself starts a little before the beginning of the war and continues until the war is over. The main character, Katy, lives in a sleepy village in England. She works as a domestic servant, though she longs for adventure and loves to read. The opening of this book has Katy sitting “on the topmost step of the library ladder, completely absorbed in a book". The opening line gives a great sense of the rest of the book. The language is simple but descriptive enough to create a vivid image in the reader’s mind. The language used is powerful, especially in later scenes that describe the atrocities of war.
As the story progresses, Katy finds herself married to Jem. He is a man she had known since childhood. He is a loyal and faithful husband. However, the two of them face incredible suffering during their marriage, and Jem volunteers to go fight in the war. He leaves a grief-stricken Katy behind as he goes to prove his worth in a worthless fight in the trenches.
The emotions explored in the book, such as grief and forgiveness, add a layer of depth to this novel that makes it truly meaningful. The story focuses on Katy dealing with Jem being away. Katy also spends a great deal of time trying to figure out her place in the world. The multiple storylines weaving together create a sense of reality. None of the characters were perfect, and they all faced mundane struggles along with the terrible circumstances of war. This was my favorite part of the novel.
The only part I disliked about this novel was the many grammatical issues I noticed. The issues were, for the most part, missing commas. The main character’s name did switch from “Katy” to “Katie” a few times as well.
I award this book a rating of 3 out of 4 stars. It pains me to have to take away a star, but the grammatical issues are forcing my hand. I wish I could give it a perfect rating. This book was beautiful and moving, and I would recommend it to anyone fifteen or older. It’s a wonderful read. However, there are some descriptions of blood and injury. It’s a little gory at times, though there is nothing too graphic. If blood really bothers you, then avoid this one. Other than that, I highly recommend this book.
******
Daffodils
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Like Delaney35's review? Post a comment saying so!
