Guns of the Dawn

This book felt like "Pride and Prejudice" and "All Quiet on the Western Front" were smashed together into a third Masterpiece (with a few Warlocks tossed in for colour). Our gentlewoman and heroine, Emily Marshwic and her sisters have been peaceably living their Manor lives. However, when all the men have been taken and shortages become dire, the King orders the drafting of women into the war effort as well. Emily is the epitome of noblesse oblige. Refusing to shirk it off on some maidservant, Emily does her duty and we witness her painful transformation into a soldier then seasoned veteran. Published in 2015, I suspect this novel was inspired by the 100th anniversary of the start of WW1, though some of the weapons date a little earlier (e.g. Muskets). Near the end of the book, there was also one particularly moving description of fighting with some technological advances that reminded of the 1415 Battle of Agincourt. Throughout, Tchaikovsky does an excellent job portraying the war. The combat is gut wrenching, as we witness the relentless misery and waste of life at the front and the morbid resignation of its combatants. I felt Emily's grief, her loyalty to her country/King/comrades, and her desperation as she lives out the nearly unbearable cost of the War and its aftermath. I can't recommend this book enough. It's imagery and characters will stay with me for a very long time.