Lovely War

by Julie Berry

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Perfect for fans of Divine Rivals, a critically acclaimed, multi-layered romance set in the perilous days of World Wars I and II, where gods hold the fates--and the hearts--of four mortals in their hands.

"Pick an adjective—sweeping, sprawling, epic, Olympian—and yet none quite conveys the emotional width and depth of Julie Berry’s brilliant novel."—The Washington Post

They are Hazel, James, Aubrey, and Colette. A classical pianist from London, a British would-be architect-turned-soldier, a Harlem-born ragtime genius in the U.S. Army, and a Belgian orphan with a gorgeous voice and a devastating past. Their story, as told by goddess Aphrodite, who must spin the tale or face judgment on Mount Olympus, is filled with hope and heartbreak, prejudice and passion, and reveals that, though War is a formidable force, it's no match for the transcendent power of Love.

Hailed by critics, Lovely War has received seven starred reviews and is an indie bestseller. Author Julie Berry has been called "a modern master of historical fiction" by Bookpage and "a celestially inspired storyteller" by the New York Times, and Lovely War is truly her masterwork.

• ISBN10: 0451469933
• ISBN13: 9780451469939
• Publish Date: 5 March 2019
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Viking Books for Young Readers
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 480
• Language: English
• URL: https://penguinrandomhouse.com/books/isbn/9780451469939

Reviews

[Terri M. LeBlanc]

While this story was 100% predictable, the unique storytelling style — told from the gods and goddesses point of view — and lyrical writing pulled me in.

[alindstadtcorbeax]

Star Rating: —> 5 Stars

Read with the 2021 booktwt book club!

Okay y'all. This f*cking WRECKED ME.

This quote from the book, said by Aphrodite, just about sums my everyday emotions up in a nutshell, and how I felt for the entirety of the novel—
"Joy can do that. It can hurt as much as pain."

So yes. I sobbed during both the overwhelming with love, happy parts, and the devastatingly sad parts. Let me be honest with you here, there are very few pages in this novel that have not felt the sting of the salt water of my tears.

This was a tale of Love during Wartime, and took place mainly during World War I in Europe (mostly France & England). I loved that Aphrodite was telling her tales of two couples (but actually three, you'll see

[bookperson]

After 2 months I finally finished it.
I love books about gods and hate books about war. This had both and I loved it.
Tbh I didn't felt as emotional about characters as I was listening to historical note read by Julie Berry herself. That's understandable, because it was about real people who didn't get their happy endings.
I guess it's time to re-read my fave book with gods as mcs

[lisbethwhite]

Oh. Oh, this book. This book is going to get shoved into the hands of every reader I know. I listened to the audiobook and the narration is perfect, every voice. The story, though, is just sublime.