my books. my life.

Title: The Absolutist
Author: John Boyne
Narrator: Michael Maloney
Genre: Historical Fiction
Pages: 320
Audio: 8.6 hours
Year: 2012
Publisher: Tantor Audio
Source: Library
Book Rating: 4/5
Audio Rating: 4/5

Summary:

Tristan Sadler survived The Great War. In 1919, he visits the sister of one of his fellow soldiers who was not as “lucky,” and recounts their haunting story. When Tristan, then just a boy, meets Will at training camp, he finds much more than a friend. But when they head to France to fight, they find there are greater forces than the enemy to challenge them.

My Thoughts:

I seem to be reading a lot of WWI-era books lately. Am I alone or is this an actual trend in publishing? Is WWI suddenly “popular?” Despite the plethora of WWI books, I continue to learn things with each one. And The Absolutist is no exception (hint: I learned what an “absolutist” is).

This is a story of friendship, pushed to its limits. My heart broke a little at the conclusion of this one, and I am still thinking about it weeks later. It’s a novel that makes you examine your own moral compass a little more closely.

The Absolutist weaves its tale in a non-linear fashion, and even though you know the outcome, the journey there is captivating.

PS: I didn’t realize that Other Press published the print edition of this book until I began writing this review, but now it all makes sense. Other Press has yet to let me down.

Audiobook Thoughts:

Michael Maloney has an intimate, earnest voice that works well for Tristan and his intimate, earnest story.