A review by snoakes7001
Anatomy of a Soldier by Harry Parker
4.0
This is a novel narrated by inanimate objects. That sounds like it has the potential to be a bit on the twee side, but the subject matter ensures that it is anything but.
Captain Tom Barnes is serving in Afghanistan when an IED changes his life forever. The story jumps between the actual explosion, the events leading up to it, Tom's time in hospital and his eventual recovery and rehabilitation.
The structure of the story make it hard to connect with the characters at first, but as it progresses Tom's personality emerges a little. Using this device however, does make it possible to introduce a certain innocence or naivety that wouldn't be possible with a first person narrative from a world-weary soldier.
I found some of it a little too visceral for my taste, but that's just me being squeamish. All in all it's a good read if you want to read something a little bit different.
Captain Tom Barnes is serving in Afghanistan when an IED changes his life forever. The story jumps between the actual explosion, the events leading up to it, Tom's time in hospital and his eventual recovery and rehabilitation.
The structure of the story make it hard to connect with the characters at first, but as it progresses Tom's personality emerges a little. Using this device however, does make it possible to introduce a certain innocence or naivety that wouldn't be possible with a first person narrative from a world-weary soldier.
I found some of it a little too visceral for my taste, but that's just me being squeamish. All in all it's a good read if you want to read something a little bit different.