msmandrake's review against another edition
3.0
This is more of an introduction to Vera, as she's been ingrained in my psyche for many years, most of this was familiar to me. With information about the film productions and places of interest, etc., it functions for me as a sort of Vera Brittain companion.
bibliorey's review against another edition
4.0
It’s so fascinating to get a glimpse of a lady’s life during the World War I. Vera Brittain was a lady ahead of her time.
This book gives an insight from Vera’s early life to the making of the film “Testament of Youth” (2014) based on her bestselling war memoir with the same title.
It’s insane how similar the movie was to Vera’s own story. Hats off to the producers and writers of the movie! (Though I do know some changes were made for the sake of the movie but most of the events and facts were the same and it’s just *chef’s kiss*)
Highly recommend this to everyone!
This book gives an insight from Vera’s early life to the making of the film “Testament of Youth” (2014) based on her bestselling war memoir with the same title.
It’s insane how similar the movie was to Vera’s own story. Hats off to the producers and writers of the movie! (Though I do know some changes were made for the sake of the movie but most of the events and facts were the same and it’s just *chef’s kiss*)
Highly recommend this to everyone!
lindzy's review against another edition
4.0
I intended to read the Testament of Youth novel penned by Vera Brittain herself. This was an accidental read. I’m so glad it happened. Through sheer luck, I ended up reading exactly what I had intended to – the story about what happened to Vera Brittain and all that she endured during the First World War.
Having seen the film, I knew I was letting myself in for a heart-breaking tale. I was aware of some of the losses in her life. While there has been some cinematic changes for the screen, the real story is no less of a tragedy. But what Bostridge portrays is how Vera struggled to actually get herself heard in a time that was meant for men. Disobeying the rules and regulations of nursing to be with the ones she cares about shows a depth to her character that somehow, the film missed. She was prepared to literally do whatever it took to be where she felt she was needed the most.
Despite the tragedy of the content, the book is written in such a way that it is engaging and keeps you page turning. Bostridge tells Vera’s story by making her the heroine of this tale, making the reader empathise with her in a way you would if she was a character in a fictional novel. He doesn’t shy away from her faults but presents a real woman – an important distinction reminding us she existed.
This is the first biography I have read for a long time. Bostridge has encouraged me to seek out more, giving a glimpse into the past that makes the reader feel like they knew Vera herself. It opens up a time of war, not by presenting the battles but by showing the heart-break for those left behind and what it meant to be a woman in the First World War. For anyone interested in either this time period or feminism itself – or even Vera Brittain – then this book is a must read.
Full Review
Having seen the film, I knew I was letting myself in for a heart-breaking tale. I was aware of some of the losses in her life. While there has been some cinematic changes for the screen, the real story is no less of a tragedy. But what Bostridge portrays is how Vera struggled to actually get herself heard in a time that was meant for men. Disobeying the rules and regulations of nursing to be with the ones she cares about shows a depth to her character that somehow, the film missed. She was prepared to literally do whatever it took to be where she felt she was needed the most.
Despite the tragedy of the content, the book is written in such a way that it is engaging and keeps you page turning. Bostridge tells Vera’s story by making her the heroine of this tale, making the reader empathise with her in a way you would if she was a character in a fictional novel. He doesn’t shy away from her faults but presents a real woman – an important distinction reminding us she existed.
This is the first biography I have read for a long time. Bostridge has encouraged me to seek out more, giving a glimpse into the past that makes the reader feel like they knew Vera herself. It opens up a time of war, not by presenting the battles but by showing the heart-break for those left behind and what it meant to be a woman in the First World War. For anyone interested in either this time period or feminism itself – or even Vera Brittain – then this book is a must read.
Full Review
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