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Armistice
A rich, atmospheric story of love and war from the acclaimed playwright who adapted the Tony Award-winning War Horse Philomena Bligh's fiancé, Dan, has been shot. World War I claimed many lives, but Dan was shot in the minutes after the Armistice. She cannot understand how this could have happened, or why they were still fighting that morning anyway. So, in March 1919, over Dan's birthday, Philomena travels to London to meet the men who were with him when he died. What she discovers is more shocking than she'd ever imagined. Dan's best friend, Jonathan, tells her that Dan was shot by a British officer over a gambling debt. There is no proof and all records of Jonathan's accusation have been destroyed. Philomena decides she must take on the establishment. Worried that she may cause his own downfall and feeling guilty for his mysterious part in Dan's death, Jonathan accompanies her. Set against a backdrop of London in the aftermath of the Great War, a time of upheaval, grief, and wanton escapism, this is not just an inspirational book about what it means to be a hero, but also a breathtaking love story.
336 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2010
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
May 9, 2013
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The prologue, six pages total, approximately seventeen hundred words. That was all it took for me to fall in love with Armistice by Nick Stafford. I was a goner. Hook, line and sinker.
I don't know how accurate it is for Philomena to take up after Dan's ghost, traipsing the streets of London on her own in early 1919, but the idea of a woman ignoring propriety in her search of closure after the death of her partner, that is something I can understand. Stafford decision to build the entire foundation of his story on this concept is nothing short of genius. It creates an instant bond between the reader and his female lead and gives him a little bit of wiggle room in terms of historical exactitude. In short, this worked for me.
Additionally, under the obvious question of Dan's death, Stafford explores post war society through the eyes of Philomena and Dan's friend Jonathan. Together these two represent all those left behind after the guns have been put down, their struggle to hang on to who they were before their lives were touched by violence and the people they became living in its shadow. Again, Stafford's use of emotion to augment the plot plays very well against the mystery Dan's murder.
Not a particularly complicated whodunnit, but at the end of the day I don't think that is what Stafford was going for. This is a story about avarice, revenge, class distinction and desperation. Yes, it revolves around a suspicious death, but more than anything else this is a period piece about the human condition. A highly recommended read for those with a penchant for small scale historic fiction.
The prologue, six pages total, approximately seventeen hundred words. That was all it took for me to fall in love with Armistice by Nick Stafford. I was a goner. Hook, line and sinker.
I don't know how accurate it is for Philomena to take up after Dan's ghost, traipsing the streets of London on her own in early 1919, but the idea of a woman ignoring propriety in her search of closure after the death of her partner, that is something I can understand. Stafford decision to build the entire foundation of his story on this concept is nothing short of genius. It creates an instant bond between the reader and his female lead and gives him a little bit of wiggle room in terms of historical exactitude. In short, this worked for me.
Additionally, under the obvious question of Dan's death, Stafford explores post war society through the eyes of Philomena and Dan's friend Jonathan. Together these two represent all those left behind after the guns have been put down, their struggle to hang on to who they were before their lives were touched by violence and the people they became living in its shadow. Again, Stafford's use of emotion to augment the plot plays very well against the mystery Dan's murder.
Not a particularly complicated whodunnit, but at the end of the day I don't think that is what Stafford was going for. This is a story about avarice, revenge, class distinction and desperation. Yes, it revolves around a suspicious death, but more than anything else this is a period piece about the human condition. A highly recommended read for those with a penchant for small scale historic fiction.
August 4, 2012
I'm finding this a difficult review to write.
Much like "Atonement", this book deals with the fallout of war, and how it affects those who are left behind. The picture painted is not very pretty, and reminds us that those whom later generations have mythologized as heroes were also simply young men and women who dealt with the horrors set before them, and that not all of them were very nice people, nor were all of the truly evil ones necessarily wearing a German uniform.
Some reviews have questioned the authenticity of Philomena, the young woman who is driven to try to discover more about the death of her fiance. She rang very true to me as someone lost in a world larger than she is used to, struggling to put to rest the grief that she is experiencing six months past a profound loss. Perhaps it is that I grew up around older British folks (many of them friends of my grandparents who had been young in that time period), and often heard the messages of "keeping your chin up", and "putting on a good face" in the midst of adversity - it does not surprise me that Philomena does not speak to others of her grief or loss, and that she struggles quite hard between holding on to her memories, staying loyal to the man she loved, and trying to put her grief to rest.
In any case, it is beautifully-written, if sometimes harsh. I did find it slowed in the middle a bit, but picked up quickly in the end - almost too much. In any case, I expect to see the Merchant Ivory production within the next couple of years.
Much like "Atonement", this book deals with the fallout of war, and how it affects those who are left behind. The picture painted is not very pretty, and reminds us that those whom later generations have mythologized as heroes were also simply young men and women who dealt with the horrors set before them, and that not all of them were very nice people, nor were all of the truly evil ones necessarily wearing a German uniform.
Some reviews have questioned the authenticity of Philomena, the young woman who is driven to try to discover more about the death of her fiance. She rang very true to me as someone lost in a world larger than she is used to, struggling to put to rest the grief that she is experiencing six months past a profound loss. Perhaps it is that I grew up around older British folks (many of them friends of my grandparents who had been young in that time period), and often heard the messages of "keeping your chin up", and "putting on a good face" in the midst of adversity - it does not surprise me that Philomena does not speak to others of her grief or loss, and that she struggles quite hard between holding on to her memories, staying loyal to the man she loved, and trying to put her grief to rest.
In any case, it is beautifully-written, if sometimes harsh. I did find it slowed in the middle a bit, but picked up quickly in the end - almost too much. In any case, I expect to see the Merchant Ivory production within the next couple of years.
February 3, 2015
There are many novels about WWI and WWI but what about the time in between? This novel presents some sticky problems that could have arisen after the Armistice. Ehical and legal questions abound.
April 6, 2023
The depiction of the terror and awfulness of First World War hand-to-hand killing is depicted in graphic detail in the first few pages of the book. Written in the first person we hear from Dan just as the war is ending. 11 o'clock comes but Dan is shot and dies just a few moments into the armistice. The killer is clearly known to Dan, and this sets up the story.
I didn't get on with the book. A bit too obvious, clunky. I didn't really care whether Philomena was able to track down what actually happened, or why, so didn't actually finish.
I didn't get on with the book. A bit too obvious, clunky. I didn't really care whether Philomena was able to track down what actually happened, or why, so didn't actually finish.
March 1, 2020
The book follows the character philamena on her mission to find out what happened to her fiance when he died as the war ended. To start with I found the book a bit slow and I thought I wasn't going to enjoy it but actually as it went on I did. However I found the ending frustrating as it just seemed to end without her getting justice or anything really
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 15, 2021
Awful. Paper thin plot, irritating characters and laughable scenes. I realise one has to suspend reality when reading fiction but this novel stretches that concept too far. For example, I did not know whether to laugh or throw the book across the room at the naked scene. I award myself 10/10 for finishing it.
March 30, 2024
An interesting take on the human trauma caused by the war-time loss and conflicts of love post WWI.
Not really four star but far better than three.
I liked it because of the strength of the female protagonist fighting the odds to find truth and peace of mind.
Not really four star but far better than three.
I liked it because of the strength of the female protagonist fighting the odds to find truth and peace of mind.
November 14, 2025
After about a third of the book I began to find this a compelling read, I really did want to know what happened. I really liked Jonathan and Philomena was a strong character and more feisty than I expected. It is a tragic tale of murder
May 6, 2017
A little slow to begin with, but I enjoyed reading this. It was an interesting storyline and was a good depiction of the realities of London post WWI for war Veterans and war widows.
September 22, 2019
A great read!
May 25, 2012
This book was passed onto me by a friend and I must admit that I started it mostly out of a sense of obligation - haven't we all been there? Luckily in this case it turned out to be a well-placed recommendation. Armistice is set
at the end of World War 1 and concerns Philomena, a young woman who is making the journey South to London to meet the soldiers who fought side by side with her fiancé before he fell in battle in France. On arrival, it is alleged that Dan's death in fact occurred after the Armistice, and under suspicious circumstances. We follow her journey to try and find the truth.
The main thing that I initially found off-putting about this novel was the wartime setting. I have to admit that historical fiction is just not my genre, and this particularly applies to wartime stories. The reason that
this wasn't a problem when reading Armistice is that it isn't really about the war at all. You could take these characters and this scenario and stick them in the present day, even 100 years from now and it would still be
relevant and engaging. One person alleges that something is true, a second person denies it, and a third party is stuck in the middle trying to fathom out what's what. Furthermore, I didn't get a good feel for life in that
particular period when reading this book. The London that is portrayed actually feels fairly modern, other than Philomena's occasional reluctance to go somewhere unaccompanied as a single woman. I was surprised to read about sordid sex! and drugs! (not so much the rock and roll).
Nick Stafford raises some interesting questions about class, equality and justice which are still relevant today. On the battlefield men would fraternise with other soldiers from all walks of life and put differences in
social status aside. Once war was over it must have been really difficult for everybody to go back to their normal roles, and this is something that is illustrated really well in Armistice. It also made me muse over the impact
that status and power has on the justice system.
The ending was pleasantly unexpected and I felt, pitched just right. I enjoyed this and would recommend it to historical fiction fans as well as those who don't enjoy the genre.
at the end of World War 1 and concerns Philomena, a young woman who is making the journey South to London to meet the soldiers who fought side by side with her fiancé before he fell in battle in France. On arrival, it is alleged that Dan's death in fact occurred after the Armistice, and under suspicious circumstances. We follow her journey to try and find the truth.
The main thing that I initially found off-putting about this novel was the wartime setting. I have to admit that historical fiction is just not my genre, and this particularly applies to wartime stories. The reason that
this wasn't a problem when reading Armistice is that it isn't really about the war at all. You could take these characters and this scenario and stick them in the present day, even 100 years from now and it would still be
relevant and engaging. One person alleges that something is true, a second person denies it, and a third party is stuck in the middle trying to fathom out what's what. Furthermore, I didn't get a good feel for life in that
particular period when reading this book. The London that is portrayed actually feels fairly modern, other than Philomena's occasional reluctance to go somewhere unaccompanied as a single woman. I was surprised to read about sordid sex! and drugs! (not so much the rock and roll).
Nick Stafford raises some interesting questions about class, equality and justice which are still relevant today. On the battlefield men would fraternise with other soldiers from all walks of life and put differences in
social status aside. Once war was over it must have been really difficult for everybody to go back to their normal roles, and this is something that is illustrated really well in Armistice. It also made me muse over the impact
that status and power has on the justice system.
The ending was pleasantly unexpected and I felt, pitched just right. I enjoyed this and would recommend it to historical fiction fans as well as those who don't enjoy the genre.
December 12, 2011
A soldier is killed just after the armistice at the end of the First World War. Is it a late attack by the enemy or murder by one of his own side? His fiancée is determined to find out.
This is an engrossing book and I was drawn in immediately. There is not really that much suspense - it's clear from the beginning what happened, the only question is whether it will be provable. There are also some anachronisms - the 'feel' of this book is much more Second World War than First. (The cover picture doesn't help - that is not a 1919 coat.) And it fizzles out at the end. So with all these faults, I think the author must be a great story-teller to keep us gripped so completely.
This is an engrossing book and I was drawn in immediately. There is not really that much suspense - it's clear from the beginning what happened, the only question is whether it will be provable. There are also some anachronisms - the 'feel' of this book is much more Second World War than First. (The cover picture doesn't help - that is not a 1919 coat.) And it fizzles out at the end. So with all these faults, I think the author must be a great story-teller to keep us gripped so completely.
July 26, 2010
I was immediately interested in reading this book when I discovered that Nick Stafford is a screenwriter and this is his first novel. I particularly enjoy novels with plenty of dialogue where we, as the reader, are actually caught up, word for word in encounters, arguments, revelations between characters. I think for me that's the best type of novel and in this, Armistice didn't disappoint.
Where it did was with one of the three main characters. I just felt his depiction was muddled somehow and also, one scene came across as unbelievable. A future reader will have to figure out which one!
Where it did was with one of the three main characters. I just felt his depiction was muddled somehow and also, one scene came across as unbelievable. A future reader will have to figure out which one!
August 22, 2010
Beautifully written. I felt that the passages describing war were very much in the spirit of the war poets. It is quite an intimate story, no big conspiracies or action, just the story of 3 people very much effected by the war.
A previous reviewer said that it felt a bit muddled. I can imagine that was exactly how wveryone was feeling in the days after the armistice.
A previous reviewer said that it felt a bit muddled. I can imagine that was exactly how wveryone was feeling in the days after the armistice.
November 22, 2010
Stylistically I thought this was flawed. It felt very heavy-handed, the lead female didn't ring true somehow, and I felt like the author wasn't quite sure what he was trying to do/say. BUT I still found it quite compelling - I suppose since it's part war story, part murder mystery, so I did quite enjoy it.
November 28, 2011
I wasn't quite sure what to make of this book when I started it but was soon gripped by the story. Very well written and I think the author's background as a playwright shows through - easy to see how the book could become a movie.
January 30, 2012
This was an interesting look at the events surrounding the death of soldier Dan Case just a minute past the end of the WW1 in 11th November 1918. The circumstances look contrived, and when Dan's fiancé, Philomena sets out to find out the truth she uncovers a web of lies and deceit.
Enjoyed it.
Enjoyed it.
October 12, 2011
A moving account of loss after the war and how everyone comes to terms with the after affects.
August 12, 2012
A good read. Good characters, interesting story.
June 9, 2014
A good story. Nicely written.
June 3, 2012
Captivated me until the very end. Really great story.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews