I feel a bit conflicted about this book, mainly because I picked it up expecting a lot from it because it has been so hyped up by many reviewers whose opinions I trust and I ended up getting a lot less than I anticipated. See, I thought this would make me cry, wreck me to my core, and make me think about it for a long time, but alas, that hasn't been the case.

But that's not to say I didn't love this book. It is so heartfelt and the character work is probably the most exceptional I've read this year. There were many passages that I wanted to highlight and annotate in my copy, but I'm glad now that I didn't because it's looking like I'll unhaul it eventually. The parts that are strong are really strong, but the rest of the story feels like nothing particularly new to me.

If Tolkien (2019), All Quiet on the Western Front (2022), Julie Berry's Lovely War, and Madeline Miller's Song of Achilles had a child, it would be this book. A lot of it feels a bit formulaic, but that doesn't mean that the depiction of war, brotherhood in the military, and subdued queer romance weren't all great. Everything was done excellently; it just didn't feel very unique. All that to say, I did enjoy my time reading this, and Gaunt and Ellwood and all the other boys herein have my heart. If you are looking for a moving queer romance set during World War I, look no further than this book.