Read in May, 2013
Format Hardcover (edit)
Review Gifts of War opens in the trenches with the WWI Christmas Truce of 1914.

British second lieutenant Hal Montgomery tells his soldiers to hold their fire.
Hal faces Oberleutnant Wilhelm Wetzlar in the "informal, unauthorized truce."
Hal is proficient in German and Wilhelm in English.

Wilhelm shows a picture of a beautiful young English woman (Sam) (Sally Ann Margaret Ross),his fianc��. ...
He was in England, prewar, in an exchange course.
They fell in love and were engaged before he was recalled to Germany.

"I have a favor, Hal"....
"This is a photo of me in uniform.....
Sam of course, has never seen it....
Can you see she gets it?" ....
The first thing I will do when this war is over is go looking for her.
This photo will tell her all she needs to know"

The story is fueled by layer after layer of deception, as Hal meet and falls in love with Sam.
The photo remains hidden and the request unspoken.

Hal (post injury) is now in military intelligence.
His ventures provide the dangerous, fast paced portion of the novel.

Til novel's end, we walk among "corrosive" and penetrating effects of war ( on military and civilian).

The ending?...no comment...read the story and let me know what you think. ( ( )

This is an interesting look at WWI from a British perspective, especially regarding the analysis of military intelligence. The main character, Hal Montgomery, is an English officer who meets his German counterpart during a Christmas truce. When the German officer asks a favor of Hal, Hal's fate is sealed. During the course of the book, Hal demonstrates his weakness of character. It is difficult to overlook his dishonesty in dealing with his lover and the cavalier way he disregards his pledge of secrecy as a government official. Perhaps the ending is a fitting tribute to a man whose moral compass is off kilter, but it is still disturbing. ( )

This book begins with the Christmas truce of 1914. A German officer and a British officer exchange gifts, and the German officer reveals that he has a girlfriend who he left behind in Britain. He asks the British officer to find her and let her know he's alive. When the British officer finds her, he falls in love and so begins his deception. The plot alone is interesting, but I enjoyed the look at British life during the war and the insight into how the Brits related to the Germans. There are also subplots into the birth of modern psychology and medicine. It's an excellent and nuanced read. ( )

This book is about a situation that develops as a consequence of the Christmas truce during WWI. A British and German soldier meet on the battlefield during the truce, and the German soldier shows the British soldier a picture of his British fiancée. Would the British soldier go to her and tell her that he still loves her and will come to her as soon as this war is over. After being wounded and convalescing, the British solder (Hal) does go to find her, but before he can deliver the message, he decides to have her for himself, even after he discovers she has borne the German soldier’s son. The rest of the book takes us through WWI, with interesting bits of history, both of the war, and otherwise (the nightclubs in neutral Switzerland, the introduction of the telephone, the first use of blood transfusions), all the while knowing that Hal’s deception must eventually be revealed.

I enjoyed reading the book, but I’m not sure I’m satisfied with the ending. It is probably in keeping with Hal’s character, but I can think of several other possible outcomes I may have preferred. However, if you enjoy this period of history, it is a good read. ( )

I started reading this before my surgery and finished it up in the week after it. What's funny is even when I couldn't read in the hospital this book stayed on my mind. I don't read much historical fiction, but what little I have read I have enjoyed and it has made me want to delve into this genre even more.

As far as history is concerned I know very little except the highlights after 1900 - I blame this on my schooling and also on my lack of interest. Now I enjoy reading about historical time frames even in fiction because there is some hint of fact in the story and I learn something.

Gifts of War taught me a lot - it only goes into the battlefields of WWI in small doses, but it introduced me to the social impacts of WWI especially in London. As I followed Hal, Sam and Sam's son, I learned about the people during the war and how everyday life was affected. I learned about the spy-type efforts that went on and the anti-German sentiment that was rampant. It taught me that there is so much more to war than what I thought.

I thoroughly enjoyed the relationship building between Hal and Sam even though there is a secret between them. Watching these complex characters interact during the war was very interesting. It was hard to get away from the book for any period of time and it never seemed to drag. I enjoyed the aspects of Hal's job and the intrigue there, the people he met and Sam's family. It was all very interesting to watch play out in front of me.

I honestly cannot say enough about this book. It's rich in descriptions, characterization and plot that keeps it moving. I enjoyed it from the first page to the last and the twists and turns along the way.

If you enjoy good historical fiction - pick this one up. If this is a new genre to you - pick this one up - you won't regret it. ( )