Everyone Brave is Forgiven

Good read. And yet another WWII book. Although on the surface it doesn't seem much is
new here, somehow, the bombing of and the terror in London is seemingly more vivid here than
in most other books. The same is true of the horrors British soldiers faced on Malta. It's a good
read with a very good and real ending

An excellent and different look at the lives of the English early in WWII. I really liked it. A good look at the same time as "All the Light We Cannot See" with more ways to see the people who experienced the traumas of the time

I felt that I actually experienced the fear, the noise, the devastation of the bombings of London during WWII. Each character had a different perspective on what was happening, a different role. In a way, each of the characters is forgiven for any human frailty, for they were indeed brave, brave beyond what I could possible imagine.

First of all, Chris Cleave, you have a remarkable family history...wow! I am so thankful you drew upon their experiences, history, & your own imagination to write this book. It makes the reading all the more exciting. I have read the gamut on WWI & WWII books and this was one of my absolute favorites.

Y'all, if you want a book with heart, this is the book for you!

What a great author. His us of language was, exceptional and his character development was some of the best I've ever read . It left you rather f breathless reminded me of Thomas Wolf's " 's stream of consciousness . .The Ashville Wolf. I'll have to read some more of his work.

Excellent WWII story; as always am awed by what courage and strength was displayed by the Allies in WWII. This was a sweet story with an ultimately happyish ending. Another good read by Chris Cleave.

I enjoyed this very much and appreciated the multiple lenses from which the beginning of World War 2 in England was told. Everyone's lives were tossed and the reactions were predictable looking back. Looking forward they were not. I like to suppose that the author had that in mind.

Chris Cleave has crafted an intimate peek into his characters' inner lives during the early days of World War II, as they morph into adults and the war engulfs the world. Although the war provides the setting, it is the characters that he focuses on. Beautifully drawn and elegantly plotted.

If one can imagine oneself in a world where death was so utterly random that life becomes meaning-filled, Chris Cleaves has done it. WWII and the Blitz are fascinating backdrop and I had never learned of conditions on Malta before.....and while I enjoy historical fiction it is his characterization which drew me in....

Set in London and Malta during World War 11. Effect on those who fought and those who stayed behind, told well. Describes the impact on families who were all impacted by the loss or absence of loved ones.

The realities of life inside and outside of London during the relentless bombing by the Nazis are presented sometimes in shocking detail in this intriguing story of love, loss and redemption. The reader becomes attached to the diverse characters around the amazingly unconventional, yet privileged character of Mary, whose sense of vocation and destiny emerges amidst the chaotic events far beyond her control. The diverse forms that courage takes in varied circumstances and personalities gives the thoughtful reader much to ponder.

Cleave is such a wonderful writer. Humor, pathos, rhythm and story are woven into this first rate novel of WWII in Britain. I loved it. If you enjoyed All the Light We Cannot See, I feel every confidence that you will appreciate this one as well.

This novel was wonderful, and I am recommended it to friends who are readers. Finely drawn characters make it a fascinating story with a now familiar, but extremely well done, World War II background. It is right up there with Anthony Doer's story of that time, 'All the Light We Cannot See".

Well written, intriguing, lots of shifts among the interwoven characters. I've been reading a lot of books about England in WWII lately (Kate Atkinson and others)--are they appearing because our fathers' and grandfathers' generation is rapidly dying? Are we, who were too young to remember much about that war, just "soggy with nostalgia" (to quote Tom Lehrer)--borrowed nostalgia, to be sure. I end up soggy at the end of each one, that's for sure. And then I reread the title and took some comfort from that. I'm going to read the book again.

I have a growing fondness for war novels. Everyone Brave is Forgiven, did not disappoint. You felt you were right there with the characters. Experiencing what they were going through...laughing , crying, cheering. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and look forward to more books by Chris Cleave.

A moving and beautifully crafted story of a group of intertwined Brits and 2 African Americans caught in London and other settings during WW2. Wonderful characters deeply committed gradually ground down by a cruel war. Gripping tale.

Americans have never experienced the pain of destruction like the people in London. That part alone keeps the reader turning pages. Outstanding writing that is clear and full of emotion makes this novel a winner.

From the reviews, I expected something different. I wasn't sure I wanted to do WW II again. This book made me reconsider the war and what the English went through. It is such a contrast from war since then.

I strongly recommend this book to all readers.

This book is poetic and literary. It reminded me of All the Light We Cannot See, which was one of the best books I've ever read. Exceptional character development and story. This book is poignant, inspiring and deeply moving. Loved it.

Loved it. Chris Cleave understands the human heart and is a master of language. EBIF is lyrical and heart-breaking all at the same time. If you like historical fiction, this is a must-read. If you like a beautiful story with well-developed characters, this is a must-read. If you like stories with great insight into the personalities of individuals and groups of people, this is a must-read.

This novel blends several themes under the World War II London Blitz rubric. Of particular interest to me was the relationship between Mary and the young black child orphaned by a bomb that destroyed an underground shelter. Social and class undercurrents are exposed, but I just couldn't get past some of the stilted dialogue and rambling that seemed redundant at times account for the 4 vs. 5 stars. An emotional read nevertheless.

Powerful real portrayal of war and it's cruelty, suffering, pain and forgiveness. Sometimes the small talk during the intense fighting was hard for me to believe and made it seem unnecessary, but I have never been through a attack like these, and don't know how I would react. Probably not as brave as them.

This novel has funny prose ,worthy of PG Wodehouse, while at the same time being a ruthlessly unromanticized story of WW II . I fell in love with all the characters, especially Marry North, a true original.

Cleave's characters are tenderly rendered as individual and believable characters holding onto humor and hope in a bleak and hopeless time. This novel includes wrenching scenes, wry commentary, and one of the scariest and most claustrophobic accidents to befall a group of rescuers.

A beautifully written book about a sad but inspiring time in history. The characters are believable. One relates to their flawed humanity. The banter between them is clever and genuinely humorous at times. I wish the kindle edition had included the letters from the author's grandfather....I'll just have to seek out the hardcover edition!

I was completely immersed in this book while on holiday on a beautiful island off Florida. At the conclusion, I've carried it around in my thoughts. - I won't soon forget the characters and the power of Chris Cleave's narrative Highly recommended.

I thought I had read everything knowable about WWII. I was wrong. Chris Cleeve captured the very heart of the ones who fought and endured. More importantly, here is an unflinching journey into the hearts of that "greatest generation," to whom we owe so much.

Really enjoyed this book and the witty dialogue of the characters. if you enjoy stories from World War II that showcase civilian hardships in England and British military hardships on Malta, plus a love story, this is a great fictional account to make you feel as if you are in London during German bombing attacks.

I downloaded this book several months ago but just never got around to reading it for multiple reasons including a busy schedule and various other selections chosen by the co-hostesses in our book club. I enjoyed this book very much despite the fact that it was yet another book about World War II. If you enjoy historical fiction combined with friendships, complicated family relationships, handsome men in uniform, opinionated women and choices involving integrity, then you should consider reading Everyone Brave is Forgiven!

I bought the audio book and I am throughly enjoying the British narration. So far (halfway through) the story is good yet a little slow, but listening to the British narration makes it worthwhile listening.

Depressing read at times, only because the story is so well written. Insight into long unforgiving War casualties both living and dying. The difference between the rich and poor,survival, loyalty , friendship, discrimination ,love at many levels.

The writing was insightful and intriguing. The characters were very unique and drew you into their lives and loves. The description of London under the blitz was powerful and gave you a great understanding of how the English endured this horror. The class depictions of whites, blacks, upper classes and the ordinary people and their interactions and pregidices was very revealing about English society before and during the war.

The dialogue between the char is whity and wonderful and the diversity of viewpoints provides an in-depth picture of life during this period. It is not about WWII but about the lives of these characters living through it. I actually laughed out loud and shed more than one tear reading this exceptionally good book. Highly recommended.

This is just such a good book! Clever dialogue, good character development, and heart rending plot make it a pleasure to read. Cleave uses the perfect blend of dialogue and description. I'm in awe of what the British people went through in World War Two.

Beautiful story made even more special when you learn that Cleave's grandparents and their WWll story were his inspiration. Cleave writes his best when dealing with intense emotions such as love, life and death, the horrors of war and dealing with huge losses.

I was pleasantly surprised with the depth of the author's research into this time period of England's history and I learned a lot from that research, esp. In regard to what the children and populace endured during the Blitz. The blatent racism shocked me as did the stiff upper lip of the British lower classes. I thought the ending was slightly formulaic but the rather unsettling reunion of of the main characters rang true.

This is not great literature, it is a wonderful story with characters you will not forget. The very British humor of understatement is a delight. Pompous racism is challenged, betrayed friendship forgiven, devastating hardship is endured and courage abounds.

Chris Cleave's writing style is unfortunatly very stilted and overly impressed with his own cleverness. Clearly he is British and speaks to us as a narrator who speaking as a member of the British upper class. The dialogue which which is leaden with witty word play, words that are not used outside of college lecture halls and features ridiculously complex sentences serves to draw attention to the author and takes away from the characters and the storyline. We end not caring about the characters because of the distance and implausibility of the dialogue. Every sentence is so ridiculously complicated you just feel that the author is trying to impress the reader with his brilliance, instead of focusing on making his characters real. It becomes a marathon of endurance for being beaten over the head with an author who is unable to get out of his own way and make the characters real.
The idea and story could have been an excellent book for a better writer.