Lovely War
by Julie Berry; read by Jayne Entwistle, Allan Corduner, and various artists
High School    Listening Library    Rev. 3/19
11 CDs    12.95 hrs.    978-1-9848-3826-1    $70.00

In a frame story, the goddess Aphrodite recounts a tale of true romance, expertly voiced by Entwistle, humanizing the tragedy of WWI and conveying tender passion. Corduner’s narrative thread connects two couples — a British soldier and his first love; an orphan-ed Belgian woman and a doughboy from Harlem — delivering the author’s masterfully paced tale with warmth and wit. These two Odyssey-winning narrators are joined by a pantheon cast whose emotionally resonant readings transport listeners, revealing racial prejudice and courage in the face of wartime horror with heartbreaking pathos. A (mostly) original musical score and historical notes read by the author enhance this stellar production.

From the July/August 2019 issue of The Horn Book Magazine.