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A spellbinding novel about three unforgettable individuals thrown together by war, love, and their search for belonging in the ever-changing landscape of WWII London. It’s 1939 and Mary, a young socialite, is determined to shock her blueblood political family by volunteering for the war effort. She is assigned as a teacher to children who were evacuated from London and have been rejected by the countryside because they are infirm, mentally disabled, or—like Mary’s favorite student, Zachary—have colored skin. Tom, an education administrator, is distraught when his best friend, Alastair, enlists. Alastair, an art restorer, has always seemed far removed from the violent life to which he has now condemned himself. But Tom finds distraction in Mary, first as her employer and then as their relationship quickly develops in the emotionally charged times. When Mary meets Alastair, the three are drawn into a tragic love triangle and—while war escalates and bombs begin falling around them—further into a new world unlike any they’ve ever known. A sweeping epic with the kind of unforgettable characters, cultural insights, and indelible scenes that made Little Bee so incredible, Chris Cleave’s latest novel explores the disenfranchised, the bereaved, the elite, the embattled. Everyone Brave Is Forgiven is a heartbreakingly beautiful story of love, loss, and incredible courage.
Publication Year: 2016
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"I was brought up to believe that everyone brave is forgiven, but in wartime courage is cheap and clemency out of season."
This book manages to be both stark and beautiful at the same time.
The circumstances that the characters find themselves in are horrific and uncertain, as war always is but their interactions are witty and charming.
Each character is well drawn with troubles and imperfections.
I never considered that children would've left behind when London was evacuated because they were differently abled. I hadn't considered racism in other countries either.
This book was not an easy read because of the subject matter but I read it in 2 sittings. The dialogue is snappy, the characters witty and brave. The book is so well written it was hard to put down.
I will look up the authors other works for sure!