December 13, 2021
Liardet (We Must Be Brave) delivers an introspective story of an Anglican priest striving to move forward after his wife’s death. James Acton, an RAF pilot in WWII, flies dangerous missions in Tunisia and marries Yvette Haddad, whom he met in Egypt during the war. After their return to England, James assumes his duties as a priest on the Hampshire coast. Yvette dies in 1964 after a battle with leukemia, and 10 years later, with their son attending university, James takes a new job as vicar in the village of Upton, near where he and his wife first moved upon returning to England. James becomes better acquainted with residents such as the attractive widow Ellen Parr, and finds a scarf in the church resembling one of Yvette’s. As James meets people who once knew his wife, he discovers some of Yvette’s secrets, which, though painful, lead him to find hope for a chance at a new beginning with Ellen. Liardet’s complex narrative entices with its focus on how the characters are forever altered by the war and the tragic events of everyday life. Liardet’s vivid descriptions of WWII combat and the idyll of the English countryside will draw readers from the very first page. Agent: Deborah Schneider, Gelfman Schneider Literary Agents.
June 1, 2022
Liardet (We Must Be Brave) takes listeners from Alexandria, Egypt, during World War II to the English countryside in the 1970s, following pilot James and his war bride Yvette through the horrors of war and the trials of marriage. From the beginning, listeners know that Yvette passed away a decade ago, and James is planning a move to a new town. He finds a scarf that reminds him of Yvette, and that triggers memories he had pushed aside. Woven with this story line is Yvette's account of meeting James, dealing with his war service, then agreeing to marry him. We hear her pain as she contends with James being a prisoner of war and the joy of their subsequent reunion. When they experience a stillborn birth, both are lost and need to find their way back to each other. Nicholas Guy Smith and Renata Friedman trade off narrating this slower-paced story. VERDICT Patient listeners will appreciate Liardet's exploration of grief, post-traumatic stress disorder, and what it means to move forward in life.--Stephanie Charlefour
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