The year is 1914 and England has just entered The Great War. Evelyn (Evie) Elliott has remained behind while her brother, Will, and his best friend, Tom enter the service as officers. Last Christmas in Paris tells the story of Evie, her brother, and Tom through letters sent during World War I. The letters start as light and practically frivolous as they all thought that the war would be over quickly and the three of them would be able to celebrate Christmas in Paris. The days drag on into months and years as the war continues to ravage Europe. Evie struggles to find ways to do her part to support war efforts. First, she serves as a postmistress and helps to deliver correspondence to families all over London. Then she starts to anonymously write articles about the war from a woman's perspective. As the war rages on the impact it has on Evie, Will, and Tom is enormous and permanent. When Evie decides to join the front lines in an auxiliary position she jeopardizes not only her life but her relationships. War is never easy, but will Evie escape unscathed?
I really, really enjoyed Last Christmas in Paris. I loved the epistolary nature of this book, however, the book starts out in 1968 with Tom heading to Paris for Christmas and you get to hear from 1968 Tom in between the letters from each year from 1914 to 1918. Letters are such an intimate form of communication and you watch the friendship between Tom and Evie blossom into something more. You also get to see the horrors of a war from the perspective of the two officers leading men into battle and sometimes to death. Also, this book was the first time I had ever seen the topic of PTSD be addressed in a historical fiction novel. They don't come out and give it that name, but Tom was definitely suffering from PTSD and rightfully so. As the book, and the war draws to a conclusion you can't help but be terrified that something tragic was going to happen to Evie. -CLICK HERE FOR SPOILERS
Bottom Line- Last Christmas in Paris is one of those stories that is going to tug at your heartstrings no matter what time of year you read it, although it is definitely a Christmas story and one that will get you in the holiday spirit.
Details:
- Last Christmas in Paris by Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb
- Hazel on Facebook Heather on Facebook
- Pages:400
- Publisher: HarperCollins
- Publication Date: 10/3/2017
- Buy it Here!
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