Review: Lovely War

Lovely War, by Julie Berry; narrated by a full cast (Listening Library 2019)

First line: “It is early evening in the lobby of an elegant Manhattan hotel.”

I didn’t know much about this book going in, other than it had rave audiobook reviews, and was a war story with elements of Greek mythology. All of that was absolutely true, and I had the most delightful time going in mostly blind.

Aphrodite and Ares are caught in a love affair by Aphrodite’s husband Hephaestus. He puts them on trial for their misdeeds, and Aphrodite commences her defense of why Love and War are always drawn to each other, by sharing the stories of two young couples, Hazel and James and Aubrey and Colette, finding love during World War I.

The audiobook narration production is fantastic, with a talented full cast and music interspersed throughout. I loved the framing Berry uses to tell her tale, employing a story within a story, with the Greek gods providing color, perspective, and humor as they narrate the story of the young lovers. And speaking of them, it’s impossible not to fall in love with our main cast — their stories are full of such heart, compassion, struggle, and hope. I loved them to pieces.

I don’t read a lot of war stories, and the ones I do have to be unique in some way. Julie Berry’s beautiful book was just that, and I’m so glad I got to spend some hours listening (and puzzling) with these characters.