When the words dance on a page…
★★★★★ – CALSPIE 9.43
Title: Violets
Author: Alex Hyde
Genre: Fiction / Historical / Literary
First published: 2022
Edition: Kindle e-book
A young woman, Violet, lies in a hospital bed in the closing days of the war. Her pregnancy is over and she is no longer able to conceive. With her husband deployed to the Pacific Front and her friends caught up in transitory love affairs, she must find a way to put herself back together.
In a small, watchful town in the Welsh valleys, another Violet contemplates the fate she shares with her unborn child. Unwed and unwanted, an overseas posting offers a temporary way out. Plunged into the heat and disorder of Naples, her body begins to reveal the responsibility it carries even as she is drawn into the burnished circle of a charismatic new friend, Maggie.
***
The thing that made the story for me was the language, the poetic prose. It just worked for me.
It is clear from the start that the author is a poet; the words dance on the page. Then there are the two different stories of two women named Violet. How are they connected?
I honestly thought this was a wonderful short read and one that I would wholeheartedly recommend to people who enjoy poetic rhythm in their books. This one was full of it. The words flowed and yet it felt like every word was carefully placed. There’s a poem that runs throughout that works so well with the rest of the story.
Aside from that, the story itself was simple, but interesting and kept my attention throughout. I found I cared about both Violets. It was a story about female lives and motherhood, yet managed to never get overly sentimental.
A beautiful read for sure. Short, but impactful.
4.75 out of 5 stars
***
CALSPIE: 9.43
- Characters: 9.5
- Ambience: 9.5
- Language: 10
- Story: 9
- Pacing: 9.5
- Interest: 9
- Enjoyment: 9.5
Lola Et La Vie 