Reviews with content warning for Death - Regeneration

Bought this a bit on a whim while stranded in a train station; devoured in a few sittings. I loved the way she weaves fiction and history together, the characters are beautifully drawn and the reflection on the traumas of war is thoughtful, incisive, sad, hopeful, humanist... a challenging read but wonderful.

Content Warnings

martynholmes's review against another edition

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challenging reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Content Warnings

anitaxlit's review against another edition

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inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

Picking this up I expected to simply enjoy some content about Siegfried Sassoon —a character that's fascinated me for years— and I was delighted to find that Regeneration offers so much more. Its reflections on the horrors of trench warfare, doctor-patient relationships and the changing views on masculinity at the time are insightful, sensitive and emotional.

The author doesn't always state what she wants to say plainly: instead she takes you on a journey with the characters, and with subtle allusions and clever dialogue guides you to develop the same ideas as them. But Barker is direct and raw where it counts, and I was truly shaken by some of the soldier's descriptions of life in the trenches.

On a lighter note, I enjoyed seeing Wilfred Owen here. His few interactions with Sassoon are a welcome reprieve from the despair governing the lives of the other characters, and I loved the scene where they work on "Anthem for Doomed Youth".

"What passing-bells for these who die as cattle?
— Only the monstrous anger of the guns."

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