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Title: The Iron Necklace

Author: Giles Waterfield

Narrator: Charlotte Strevens

Format: Unabridged

Length: 12 hrs and 45 mins

Language: English

Release date: 11-16-15

Publisher: Oakhill Publishing

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

The wedding of Thomas, an idealistic German architect, and Irene, an English artist, brings together the Curtius and Benson families. But their peace is soon shattered by the outbreak of war in Europe.

While Irene struggles to survive in a country where she is the enemy, her sister, Sophia, faces the war as a nurse on the Western Front. For their brother, Mark, diplomatic service sees him moving between London, Washington and Copenahagen, all the while struggling to confront his own identity.

Against a backdrop of war and its aftermath, relationships are tested, sacrifices are made and Irene and her siblings strive to find their place in an evolving world.

Members Reviews:

An interesting story from a historical perspective

The book covers the period between 1910 and 1933 and tells the story of a German and English family united by a marriage between the respective son Thomas a German architect and the daughter Irene an artist from England. The story goes on to describe the outbreak of the First World War and its effect on the relationship between the couple and their parents. The war and its aftermath make them question their duties and leave them wondering where their loyalties should lie. It also tells the story of Sophia, Ireneâs sister who becomes a nurse on the western front and is confronted with the casualties of war while Mark her brother works for the diplomatic services and at the same time struggles with his sexuality

The book describes an interesting period in history. It was fascinating to read about the war from a German perspective as this is not very common. It gives you a good insight into what it would have been like for an English woman to live in Germany during that time.

My only issue with the book was that it was more of a historical document than a novel. The characters were not really described in great details which made it difficult to empathise with them. The book is divided into lots of short chapters alternating between characters which made it more difficult to be captivated and to get involved with the characters.

Overall this is an interesting story from a historical perspective. If you enjoy historical fiction and like to get more of an insight into life during and after the First World War from a German perspective than this book is for you.

Authentic and Elegant

Waterfield writes authentically and elegantly about his characters. His thorough research of the period is evident in every chapter. Never a false note. One is immediately drawn into the lives of the English and German upper middle classes which had so much in common at the beginning of the 20th century only to have their close associations and national loyalties tested by WWI. Many of the principal characters have secrets which are gradually revealed during the course of the narrative. The civility and humanity of the protagonists triumphs over war's travesties and their personal losses. Anyone who has read Christopher Clark's non-fictional account of that war---Sleepwalkers---will especially appreciate The Iron Necklace, as it draws one into the effects of that debacle on the lives of its participants to an even greater degree. Those effects were to last decades and generations. Waterfield's work is one of the most intimate portrayals of the period and will continue to be appreciated by future generations.