Shadows of Yesterday
Set in France in the 1940s and 1966, Shadows Of Yesterday is about the guilt and repercussions of WWII. Marc and his family settle in England after the war and prosper with the emotional tumult of resistance fighting – and an estate and a title – behind them. Torn by memories but at last able to face the massacre that occurred due to his act of revenge on a group of SS, Marc returns to the now ruined estate and the hostility of the locals. Truths are revealed, and when a German buys the neighbouring estate, old wounds are brought to a violent surface.
This is beautifully written in terms of language (not everyone can do this), with flawless grammar and a music in the sentence structure, only this novel tends to go for the ‘Germans are bad’ view, when surely things were more complex? The book does hit on the collaboration, but alas only lightly, resulting in little new story-wise. There is also the irritation of French sentences dropped in when we know they are speaking French anyway.
The plot takes time to come to a boil: the first five chapters are dialogue between the family, with the story – and the thriller element – taking off at chapter six. Marc could be an interesting character if only we stay with him, but we go back and forth in time so often it is difficult to engage with the characters.
A potentially very good book has been missed here, as the writing talent is there. Perhaps for the next book the author, working alongside a skilled editor, could consider plot, a linear storyline, more originality, and a series of events that is less dialogue-driven?
