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Manilla Press Peace on the Western Front The emotional World War One historical novel perfect for Remembrance Day.
1914. A boy enrols in the army, hoping to find peace in the great adventure of war. Handed a rifle, he discovers the grim grey days distinguished only by the ever-present spectre of death. In the midst of horror, he finds close friendships, love and companionship. In an unexpected act of courage, he changes the course of history, bringing German and Brits to put down their weapons for a celebration of peace.
In 1933, a father and son set out for Flanders. The former soldier carries more of the war with him than his maimed left hand. The British man he met in the forest of Ypres is a memory passed down from father to son, a story of friendship across enemy lines, forged by one uniting the need for peace.
In 1933, a father and son set out for Flanders. The former soldier carries more of the war with him than his maimed left hand. The British man he met in the forest of Ypres is a memory passed down from father to son, a story of friendship across enemy lines, forged by one uniting the need for peace.
176 pages, Hardcover
Published November 9, 2023
3 people are currently reading
54 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
August 25, 2025
Jag tror att det här är några av de bästa 140 sidorna jag läst i år. Bara 30 sidor in och min magkänsla säger redan: ja, ja, ja. Spola fram 110 sidor till och jag gråter så mycket att jag knappt ser sidorna jag läser. Så fruktansvärt sorglig men samtidigt så vacker. Jag älskade varje sekund av den här läsupplevelsen.
Det finns så många citat från den här boken som jag vill dela med mig av, men vi får nöja oss med en som jag tycker sammanfattar den:
”‘We don’t choose our circumstances […] You know, I don’t think life is what happens to us. Maybe it’s nothing more than our reaction to those circumstances.’”
Enklaste 6 stjärnorna jag ger på länge⭐️
Det finns så många citat från den här boken som jag vill dela med mig av, men vi får nöja oss med en som jag tycker sammanfattar den:
”‘We don’t choose our circumstances […] You know, I don’t think life is what happens to us. Maybe it’s nothing more than our reaction to those circumstances.’”
Enklaste 6 stjärnorna jag ger på länge⭐️
February 25, 2024
**Rating: 3.5/5**
I do genuinely feel bad about giving this only 3.5 stars, but for such an emotional and evocative topic the book didn't really leave much of an impact on me. The writing just felt a bit stilted, and it didn't help that a lot of the story's messages weren't shown but told point-blank to us instead, similar to the way you would teach fables to children.
However I still appreciated what the author set out to do, which was to make sure the Christmas truce of 1914 - a remarkable instance that proved peace could be achieved against all odds - wouldn't be forgotten.
I do genuinely feel bad about giving this only 3.5 stars, but for such an emotional and evocative topic the book didn't really leave much of an impact on me. The writing just felt a bit stilted, and it didn't help that a lot of the story's messages weren't shown but told point-blank to us instead, similar to the way you would teach fables to children.
However I still appreciated what the author set out to do, which was to make sure the Christmas truce of 1914 - a remarkable instance that proved peace could be achieved against all odds - wouldn't be forgotten.
November 12, 2023
A perfect read for Remembrance Sunday.
A quick read of just 159 pages all of which hold your attention and capture your heart.
A simple tale of those who enlisted in England to fight in the Great War in 1914; expecting to right the injustice of a German invasion and to be home again by Christmas.
The story centres on William Turner a young rifleman destined to serve in the trenches around Ypres. He is idealistic, but open and supportive to his comrades in arms; he wants to make a difference and his engagement with others has an impact. He carries the trauma of his Mother’s death as a child and his broken relationship with his Father.
The author wanted to tell the story of the Christmas Truce and in these few words has created a believable fiction of how that ceasefire may have come about.
I enjoyed the sense of place and the realities of what awaited each new batch of recruits as they neared the front. The novel is carefully researched with a great desire to be set within a historical landscape to bring the story of a tangible peace within the setting of a Flander’s battlefield. I appreciated the different relationships that build up the story and provide structure and emphasis on the fragmented friendships at home, among the men and across the ranks.
I particularly enjoyed the deep loyalty the soldiers forge. This has counterpoints with the unit’s padre and his God. William with the refugee and his ‘pet’ mouse. The man taking his son to visit the battlefields and his commitment to find peace beyond the cessation of war, even after the Armistice has been signed.
William finds love, hope and fashions a peace that endured that hopefully is instilled in the reader’s of this incredible book.
A great story has many carefully selected words and scenes the author wishes to create. There is so much here to appreciate and promote in terms of creative writing.
I’ll finish with a quote which has stayed with me.
“Their only freedom now was their view of the sky. It was the only thing that distinguished the trench from a grave.”
A quick read of just 159 pages all of which hold your attention and capture your heart.
A simple tale of those who enlisted in England to fight in the Great War in 1914; expecting to right the injustice of a German invasion and to be home again by Christmas.
The story centres on William Turner a young rifleman destined to serve in the trenches around Ypres. He is idealistic, but open and supportive to his comrades in arms; he wants to make a difference and his engagement with others has an impact. He carries the trauma of his Mother’s death as a child and his broken relationship with his Father.
The author wanted to tell the story of the Christmas Truce and in these few words has created a believable fiction of how that ceasefire may have come about.
I enjoyed the sense of place and the realities of what awaited each new batch of recruits as they neared the front. The novel is carefully researched with a great desire to be set within a historical landscape to bring the story of a tangible peace within the setting of a Flander’s battlefield. I appreciated the different relationships that build up the story and provide structure and emphasis on the fragmented friendships at home, among the men and across the ranks.
I particularly enjoyed the deep loyalty the soldiers forge. This has counterpoints with the unit’s padre and his God. William with the refugee and his ‘pet’ mouse. The man taking his son to visit the battlefields and his commitment to find peace beyond the cessation of war, even after the Armistice has been signed.
William finds love, hope and fashions a peace that endured that hopefully is instilled in the reader’s of this incredible book.
A great story has many carefully selected words and scenes the author wishes to create. There is so much here to appreciate and promote in terms of creative writing.
I’ll finish with a quote which has stayed with me.
“Their only freedom now was their view of the sky. It was the only thing that distinguished the trench from a grave.”
July 28, 2025
"What's it really like - the war?"
"Grey," he said.
Peace on the Western Front is a beautiful little book about courage amidst a war. And I think, ultimately, it's also about humanity. I think it was my grandma who once told me something along the lines of; war is lost when you no longer see your enemy as a human because when you deny their humanity, you deny your own. Which I think is not only a fitting thing to say about war, but this book too.
The book is based on real people and real events that took place on Christmas in 1914, which I didn't know when starting this book. But I had heard of these events before but I cannot say if it was in history class (bless all the history teachers I have ever had, incredible people all of them) or did I come across it on my own. I was a weird kid. I have always had a special interest in history and especially was history. If anyone cares, on 9th grade I wrote an essay about Winter War (1939-1940) and my teacher told me I not only knew more than was in our book but more than he did, and he went to school for it.
I really enjoyed how the story is told as a man telling a story to his son because that's how I heard many of my war stories too; from my grandparents. That made the book even more touching to me. Still, there is a small part of me that feels like the book needed a bit more of something.
Regardless, I would highly recommend this one!
"Grey," he said.
Peace on the Western Front is a beautiful little book about courage amidst a war. And I think, ultimately, it's also about humanity. I think it was my grandma who once told me something along the lines of; war is lost when you no longer see your enemy as a human because when you deny their humanity, you deny your own. Which I think is not only a fitting thing to say about war, but this book too.
The book is based on real people and real events that took place on Christmas in 1914, which I didn't know when starting this book. But I had heard of these events before but I cannot say if it was in history class (bless all the history teachers I have ever had, incredible people all of them) or did I come across it on my own. I was a weird kid. I have always had a special interest in history and especially was history. If anyone cares, on 9th grade I wrote an essay about Winter War (1939-1940) and my teacher told me I not only knew more than was in our book but more than he did, and he went to school for it.
I really enjoyed how the story is told as a man telling a story to his son because that's how I heard many of my war stories too; from my grandparents. That made the book even more touching to me. Still, there is a small part of me that feels like the book needed a bit more of something.
Regardless, I would highly recommend this one!
January 27, 2025
This is an amazing story of courage and determination in the face of adversity and war. Set in 1914 and also in 1933, we meet William Turner, a teenager sent to fight ‘the enemy’ at Flanders.
With both sides being told that ‘they would by home by Christmas’ William and a young German soldier meet in No Man’s Land singing Silent Night.
This is simply one of the best books I’ve read!!!
With both sides being told that ‘they would by home by Christmas’ William and a young German soldier meet in No Man’s Land singing Silent Night.
This is simply one of the best books I’ve read!!!
November 30, 2023
What an original story about an event which I am very familiar with, having grown up in Flanders.
The author wrote the story of a British and German soldier, set in 1934 and 1914, mainly in the beautiful toen if Ypres.
In 1933 the German soldier brings his son to the place where something happened to him, which wasn't just about horror but also about friendship in a time, place and historical situation which had nothing to do with friendship.
In 1914, we follow the British soldier who just arrived in the trenches around Ypres. He made a promise to his mother, but as most of the young man he found something unimaginable. While he was trying to do what was expected of him, had to deal with parts of life he was unfamiliar with...he also learned about courage and how to live in the present, while staying the person he really is. When he made a decision which could have led to his death, he changed in some way history and gave an experience to people who were in the same situation no matter from where they were. On Christmas night they celebrated in no man's land, for one night and with soldiers they were ordered to kill.
I grew with stories about Christmas night in no man's land and in the Flanders every year on Christmas people still remember this moment.
Mattia Signorini wrote a story about it in a way I am not used to and really enjoyed. There was beauty in a story of war, because of the actions between two soldiers who were enemies. Reliving a part of history that you can still feel in West Flanders but through friendship, was interesting and original.
I would recommend this book to everybody, but especially to people who don't like reading the non-fiction books about the First World War. This is a fiction story, but it is a nice change to also learn about a day that really happened.
The author wrote the story of a British and German soldier, set in 1934 and 1914, mainly in the beautiful toen if Ypres.
In 1933 the German soldier brings his son to the place where something happened to him, which wasn't just about horror but also about friendship in a time, place and historical situation which had nothing to do with friendship.
In 1914, we follow the British soldier who just arrived in the trenches around Ypres. He made a promise to his mother, but as most of the young man he found something unimaginable. While he was trying to do what was expected of him, had to deal with parts of life he was unfamiliar with...he also learned about courage and how to live in the present, while staying the person he really is. When he made a decision which could have led to his death, he changed in some way history and gave an experience to people who were in the same situation no matter from where they were. On Christmas night they celebrated in no man's land, for one night and with soldiers they were ordered to kill.
I grew with stories about Christmas night in no man's land and in the Flanders every year on Christmas people still remember this moment.
Mattia Signorini wrote a story about it in a way I am not used to and really enjoyed. There was beauty in a story of war, because of the actions between two soldiers who were enemies. Reliving a part of history that you can still feel in West Flanders but through friendship, was interesting and original.
I would recommend this book to everybody, but especially to people who don't like reading the non-fiction books about the First World War. This is a fiction story, but it is a nice change to also learn about a day that really happened.
November 30, 2023
A man and his son are in Ypres.
My goodness! Peace on the Western Front may be more of a novella than a full length book, but it is imbued with profound emotion and humanity that left me reeling. It’s wonderful.
I’m actually struggling to write a review as I don’t want to sully the book. Mattia Signorini looks deep into the soul of mankind and lays it bare for his readers. Peace on the Western Front is historically vivid and obviously meticulously researched, but also heart-breakingly relevant to today’s political landscape.
The characterisation is magnificent. The fact the young boy is unnamed until the end of the story is critical because he represents an innocent Everyman as well as adding to the emotional impact of Mattia Signorini’s writing. I thought the central character, William, was so brilliantly drawn. The way his past has weighed on his present actions and his ongoing relationship with his father, and the manner with which his understanding – not only of himself but of the world around him – is depicted, is sensitive, compassionate and terribly affecting. This is a book that hits the reader hard in the solar plexus.
What works so well in creating impact for the reader is the essential simplicity of the author’s style and vocabulary, beautifully translated by Vicki Satlow. This makes the themes and messages of the narrative all the more powerful in contrast. Certainly this is historical fiction with a carefully crafted dual timeline, but much more than that it is a story about faith, war, empathy, compassion, bravery and love.
I adored Peace on the Western Front. It moved me immeasurably and I cannot recommend it highly enough.
My goodness! Peace on the Western Front may be more of a novella than a full length book, but it is imbued with profound emotion and humanity that left me reeling. It’s wonderful.
I’m actually struggling to write a review as I don’t want to sully the book. Mattia Signorini looks deep into the soul of mankind and lays it bare for his readers. Peace on the Western Front is historically vivid and obviously meticulously researched, but also heart-breakingly relevant to today’s political landscape.
The characterisation is magnificent. The fact the young boy is unnamed until the end of the story is critical because he represents an innocent Everyman as well as adding to the emotional impact of Mattia Signorini’s writing. I thought the central character, William, was so brilliantly drawn. The way his past has weighed on his present actions and his ongoing relationship with his father, and the manner with which his understanding – not only of himself but of the world around him – is depicted, is sensitive, compassionate and terribly affecting. This is a book that hits the reader hard in the solar plexus.
What works so well in creating impact for the reader is the essential simplicity of the author’s style and vocabulary, beautifully translated by Vicki Satlow. This makes the themes and messages of the narrative all the more powerful in contrast. Certainly this is historical fiction with a carefully crafted dual timeline, but much more than that it is a story about faith, war, empathy, compassion, bravery and love.
I adored Peace on the Western Front. It moved me immeasurably and I cannot recommend it highly enough.
January 21, 2025
4.5 stars
Before reading this novel, I was already familiar with the events of Christmas Day 1914, when soldiers from England and Germany laid down their weapons to celebrate and share Christmas in No Man’s Land. However, I didn't realise that this remarkable day would be the central focus of Peace on the Western Front until I began reading.
The story, based on real people, follows William Turner, a young British rifleman stationed in the trenches at Ypres. One day, while gathering wood in the forest, he encounters a German soldier, and the two put aside their guns to converse and form a friendship.
While Peace on the Western Front is more of a novella than a full-length novel, it still packs an emotional punch. I was particularly drawn to the main characters and the friendships that blossomed amidst the horrors of war. The narrative shifts between 1914, as Turner’s story unfolds, and 1933, when a father recounts his experiences at Ypres to his son.
Unfortunately, as the author points out at the end, even though these events took place over a century ago, history tends to repeat itself. The hope for peace remains just as relevant today as it was back then. This raises a thought-provoking question: If more soldiers chose to lay down their weapons, could there truly be peace in the world?
I found this novel deeply moving. Signorini clearly dedicated countless hours to research, and it shows in the vivid, realistic portrayal of life in the trenches. He captures both the brutal realities of war and the unexpected beauty and hope that can emerge even in the darkest of times. This is a highly recommended read.
Before reading this novel, I was already familiar with the events of Christmas Day 1914, when soldiers from England and Germany laid down their weapons to celebrate and share Christmas in No Man’s Land. However, I didn't realise that this remarkable day would be the central focus of Peace on the Western Front until I began reading.
The story, based on real people, follows William Turner, a young British rifleman stationed in the trenches at Ypres. One day, while gathering wood in the forest, he encounters a German soldier, and the two put aside their guns to converse and form a friendship.
While Peace on the Western Front is more of a novella than a full-length novel, it still packs an emotional punch. I was particularly drawn to the main characters and the friendships that blossomed amidst the horrors of war. The narrative shifts between 1914, as Turner’s story unfolds, and 1933, when a father recounts his experiences at Ypres to his son.
Unfortunately, as the author points out at the end, even though these events took place over a century ago, history tends to repeat itself. The hope for peace remains just as relevant today as it was back then. This raises a thought-provoking question: If more soldiers chose to lay down their weapons, could there truly be peace in the world?
I found this novel deeply moving. Signorini clearly dedicated countless hours to research, and it shows in the vivid, realistic portrayal of life in the trenches. He captures both the brutal realities of war and the unexpected beauty and hope that can emerge even in the darkest of times. This is a highly recommended read.
December 18, 2023
Then Blurb
The Worst of Enemies, The Best of Friends. Back in 1914, a boy enrols in the army, hoping to find peace in the great adventure of war. Handed a rifle, he discovers the grim reality: grey days distinguished only by the ever-present spectre of death. In the midst of horror, he finds close friendships, love and companionship. In an unexpected act of courage, he changes the course of history, bringing German and Brits to put down their weapons for a celebration of peace. In 1933, a father and son set out for Flanders. The former soldier carries more of the war with him than his maimed left hand. The British man he met in the forest of Ypres is a memory passed down from father to son, a story of friendship across enemy lines, forged by one uniting belief: the need for peace.
I flew through this lovely book over Remembrance weekend as my tribute to those that fought for us.
Like Alice Win’s In Memoriam this book isn’t afraid to pack the punches and you get a real understanding of the excitement the young soldiers felt as they enlisted verses the grim reality of life one they reached the trenches.
The book’ main character is William a young boy who having faced tragedy at home escapes to the front line to avoid life with his father.
This book might only be short at only 176 pages but it covers love, hardship and death and of course the famous Christmas Truce.
All in all it’s lovely tale of friendship in terrible circumstances and I would highly recommend!
As ever thanks to Compulsive Readers and Zaffrebooks for this opportunity
The Worst of Enemies, The Best of Friends. Back in 1914, a boy enrols in the army, hoping to find peace in the great adventure of war. Handed a rifle, he discovers the grim reality: grey days distinguished only by the ever-present spectre of death. In the midst of horror, he finds close friendships, love and companionship. In an unexpected act of courage, he changes the course of history, bringing German and Brits to put down their weapons for a celebration of peace. In 1933, a father and son set out for Flanders. The former soldier carries more of the war with him than his maimed left hand. The British man he met in the forest of Ypres is a memory passed down from father to son, a story of friendship across enemy lines, forged by one uniting belief: the need for peace.
I flew through this lovely book over Remembrance weekend as my tribute to those that fought for us.
Like Alice Win’s In Memoriam this book isn’t afraid to pack the punches and you get a real understanding of the excitement the young soldiers felt as they enlisted verses the grim reality of life one they reached the trenches.
The book’ main character is William a young boy who having faced tragedy at home escapes to the front line to avoid life with his father.
This book might only be short at only 176 pages but it covers love, hardship and death and of course the famous Christmas Truce.
All in all it’s lovely tale of friendship in terrible circumstances and I would highly recommend!
As ever thanks to Compulsive Readers and Zaffrebooks for this opportunity
November 22, 2024
I chose this book because at the time it was very close to Armistice Day and it sounded interesting. It is a very short book and set in two time lines, 1914 and 1933. There are only two main characters, an English and a German soldier. The English soldier has signed up for the war, wanting to do his bit and believing in what he has been told - that the war will be over by Christmas. He feels that he owes it to his late mother to be brave but constantly frets about the estrangement that exists between himself and his father. He quickly becomes disillusioned, witnessing the death of comrades and considers deserting. Whilst he is wandering in some nearby woods, having been sent on a reconaissance mission, he comes across a German soldier. Instead of shooting at each other, they strike up a short conversation and each goes on their way. Later in the story it is Christmas Day and the English soldier leads some of his comrades towards the German lines. They have a game of football and sing Christmas carols. The two soldiers meet once again. The chapters alternate between 1914 and 1933. In 1933 the German soldier has taken his young son on a journey back to Ypres where he fought, shows him some of the battle sites and tells him the story of how he met the English soldier in the war and what they did.
December 31, 2023
Thanks to Bonnier Books for sending me a proof copy in exchange for an honest review.
Despite its short length, this is one of the most powerful, evocative and heartrending novels I've ever read. Across around 160 pages, Signorini uses true events and characters to weave a transfixing tale of the horrors of war and the dream of peace. While the events depicted happened over a century ago, they remain tragically relevant. This combined with the immersive depictions of the mundane reality and sudden brutality common in the trenches gives the novel a tremendous impact which will haunt readers. Each of the characters is vividly captured, and the split narrative leaping between 1914 and 1933 ensured I was gripped throughout my reading. I'm running out of words to do justice to this fabulous book, and I generally try to avoid hyperbole, but this is a book which everyone, particularly those whose decisions condemn ordinary people to lifetimes of pain and suffering, should read. Perhaps then we have a chance to create a better world where the spectre of war can be confined to the past, where it belongs.
"By putting down our weapons, both real and imagined, we can aspire to live in a better world."
Despite its short length, this is one of the most powerful, evocative and heartrending novels I've ever read. Across around 160 pages, Signorini uses true events and characters to weave a transfixing tale of the horrors of war and the dream of peace. While the events depicted happened over a century ago, they remain tragically relevant. This combined with the immersive depictions of the mundane reality and sudden brutality common in the trenches gives the novel a tremendous impact which will haunt readers. Each of the characters is vividly captured, and the split narrative leaping between 1914 and 1933 ensured I was gripped throughout my reading. I'm running out of words to do justice to this fabulous book, and I generally try to avoid hyperbole, but this is a book which everyone, particularly those whose decisions condemn ordinary people to lifetimes of pain and suffering, should read. Perhaps then we have a chance to create a better world where the spectre of war can be confined to the past, where it belongs.
"By putting down our weapons, both real and imagined, we can aspire to live in a better world."
November 30, 2023
This has to be one of the moving short stories about Peace, and the instigation of it, that I have ever read in such an emotive context. There is a lot to be taken form this book that we should all try and incorporate into our everyday lives, no matter what situation we find ourselves in.
It does make you wonder what the world would be like if all soldiers would just put down their arms and refuse to fight. COuld we all finally live in peace with one another , regardless of religion, race, etc.
As you can probably gather from the above paragraph I was incredibly moved by this book and William's ability to look for ways of bringing peace into even the most horrific of places.
Even though this is a relatively short book , it is not one to be rushed. Take your time with it and look at the different situations they found themselves in and , as is so often mentioned in the book " Live in the present and not in the past otherwise the past affects the future"
It does make you wonder what the world would be like if all soldiers would just put down their arms and refuse to fight. COuld we all finally live in peace with one another , regardless of religion, race, etc.
As you can probably gather from the above paragraph I was incredibly moved by this book and William's ability to look for ways of bringing peace into even the most horrific of places.
Even though this is a relatively short book , it is not one to be rushed. Take your time with it and look at the different situations they found themselves in and , as is so often mentioned in the book " Live in the present and not in the past otherwise the past affects the future"
November 15, 2024
This was an emotional read for me. Juxtaposing the horror of war with the promise of peace, it demonstrates how ordinary people can have a considerable impact / even years after the event. This was well-written, though provoking and heartbreaking.
November 17, 2024
Where has this book been.....such an amazing book a mixture of fact and fiction on the early years of WW1 this book pulls on the heart strings Everyibe needs to read this book to get an idea on people felt and the effects of war on human kind.
February 14, 2025
Een roman voor jongvolwassenen over de korte verbroedering van Engelse en Duitse troepen op Kerstdag 1914 in de loopgraven van Ieper. Spannend, sfeervol, hard en pakkend, verteld vanuit het standpunt van een Britse en een Duitse soldaat.
June 10, 2025
DON'T READ THE FOREWORD !
I know the story has no real news for most of the readers, but A.N. Wilson is able to include a huge amount of spoilers into his foreword. Better to read it afterwards - or not at all.
I know the story has no real news for most of the readers, but A.N. Wilson is able to include a huge amount of spoilers into his foreword. Better to read it afterwards - or not at all.
December 26, 2023
This is a beautiful story about the Christmas Truce. In 1914, In Flanders, both the British and German armies meet unarmed in no man's land, like brothers, to celebrate Christmas. Very moving.
January 9, 2025
3.5⭐️
Small but mighty!
The Christmas truce of 1914 is one of the stories of WWI that I find most impactful, and so when I saw this book I was very much drawn to it. We’re told the story through two POVs and two timelines, so you get to see the impact that the characters actually have on each other later in life. William’s chapters are set during the war itself, following him as he a) tries to stay alive, and b) finds connections with his fellow British soldiers, a young woman he comes across in the woods, and an unlikely ally in the form of a German soldier. Carl, the German, provides the other POV, set in 1933 as he tells his son about William as they cross Flanders in order to escape from the cruel new regimes.
You definitely feel for all of them, and it’s heartbreaking to see everyone essentially discover the unglamorous truths about war while knowing they can’t stop fighting. But for one day they do, calling a ceasefire to play and talk to each other like human beings, even though they know they must become enemies again in a matter of hours.
It’s a powerful story about humanity, and the struggle to keep hold of who they are.
Thank you so much to the publisher for a free copy in exchange for my honest review!
Small but mighty!
The Christmas truce of 1914 is one of the stories of WWI that I find most impactful, and so when I saw this book I was very much drawn to it. We’re told the story through two POVs and two timelines, so you get to see the impact that the characters actually have on each other later in life. William’s chapters are set during the war itself, following him as he a) tries to stay alive, and b) finds connections with his fellow British soldiers, a young woman he comes across in the woods, and an unlikely ally in the form of a German soldier. Carl, the German, provides the other POV, set in 1933 as he tells his son about William as they cross Flanders in order to escape from the cruel new regimes.
You definitely feel for all of them, and it’s heartbreaking to see everyone essentially discover the unglamorous truths about war while knowing they can’t stop fighting. But for one day they do, calling a ceasefire to play and talk to each other like human beings, even though they know they must become enemies again in a matter of hours.
It’s a powerful story about humanity, and the struggle to keep hold of who they are.
Thank you so much to the publisher for a free copy in exchange for my honest review!
November 28, 2023
I read this book around the time of Remembrance Sunday as I felt it to be appropriate as we paused to remember those who had fallen.
As the title states, Peace on the Western Front is the authors version of events leading up to the 1914 Christmas Truce between the British and German troops who climbed out of their trenches into no man's land, shook hands and then had a game of football that went down in history.
Although the story and characters are fictional, the events of the 1914 truce did happen and became a symbol of hope for the troops on the ground.
The author has handled such an historical event sensitively, without the need to sensationalise it.
As the title states, Peace on the Western Front is the authors version of events leading up to the 1914 Christmas Truce between the British and German troops who climbed out of their trenches into no man's land, shook hands and then had a game of football that went down in history.
Although the story and characters are fictional, the events of the 1914 truce did happen and became a symbol of hope for the troops on the ground.
The author has handled such an historical event sensitively, without the need to sensationalise it.
December 1, 2023
My Review –
This is the first novel by Mattia Signorini, to be translated into English ( by Vicki Tatlow ) .
Thank you to Bonnier Books for my adorable hardback copy of Peace On The Western front.
The novel is set in a dual timeline of 1914 and 1933 – in 1914 a young boy enrols in the Army, with a vision of heroism in his heart, only to find that the war is grey, and wet, and nasty, and the horrors will fill his mind forever. I must say the scenes written in the trenches of Ypres are amazingly and terribly realistic, the endless mud, cold and what those poor men and boys suffered is really well written and transported me to that horrific time. The scenes are also written with such care and are very moving. I found myself engulfed in them and i even ended up dreaming about it, such is the sublime writing.
In the other timeline a father and Son set out to Flanders Field, to tell his son what happened and to rest his own ghosts that haunt him after those terrible times fighting in the trenches of WW1.
The whole novel is a wonderful piece of writing, i really felt that I got to know each of the characters and as I’ve already said the sense of place is truly amazing. The book is overall a novel of honour to those who died and also a story of love and hope that during such tumultuous times, peace can happen.
An extremely well written and moving novel that should be read by everyone. A 5 star read. I do hope more of his novels will be translated to English as I am now a fan.
This is the first novel by Mattia Signorini, to be translated into English ( by Vicki Tatlow ) .
Thank you to Bonnier Books for my adorable hardback copy of Peace On The Western front.
The novel is set in a dual timeline of 1914 and 1933 – in 1914 a young boy enrols in the Army, with a vision of heroism in his heart, only to find that the war is grey, and wet, and nasty, and the horrors will fill his mind forever. I must say the scenes written in the trenches of Ypres are amazingly and terribly realistic, the endless mud, cold and what those poor men and boys suffered is really well written and transported me to that horrific time. The scenes are also written with such care and are very moving. I found myself engulfed in them and i even ended up dreaming about it, such is the sublime writing.
In the other timeline a father and Son set out to Flanders Field, to tell his son what happened and to rest his own ghosts that haunt him after those terrible times fighting in the trenches of WW1.
The whole novel is a wonderful piece of writing, i really felt that I got to know each of the characters and as I’ve already said the sense of place is truly amazing. The book is overall a novel of honour to those who died and also a story of love and hope that during such tumultuous times, peace can happen.
An extremely well written and moving novel that should be read by everyone. A 5 star read. I do hope more of his novels will be translated to English as I am now a fan.
September 27, 2024
Only 150-ish pages so a very quick read.
I think the story had a lot of potential and then squandered it. Some moments were so thoughtful and well done. At times though, it was really far fetched and crossed over to telling rather than showing with cheesy/preachy paragraphs.
Probably wouldn't recommend.
I think the story had a lot of potential and then squandered it. Some moments were so thoughtful and well done. At times though, it was really far fetched and crossed over to telling rather than showing with cheesy/preachy paragraphs.
Probably wouldn't recommend.
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