At the Edge of Summer

This is a stronger book than Brockmole's debut, Letters from Skye, which descended into cliched melodrama by the end. Although the author touches on familiar themes of this tumultuous WWI timeframe (loss of innocence, soldiers unprepared for modern warfare, former friends facing each other across the battlefield), her writing and strong characterizations elevate the story to something quite touching and impactful. The epistolary middle section is my favorite part, but Brockmole shows she can write a strong narrative in the idyllic beginning section and somber final sections. Throughout it all, she illustrates the transformational power of art in its many forms.