Thom reviewed The Amazing Interlude by Mary Roberts Rinehart
Review of 'The Amazing Interlude' on 'Goodreads'
5 stars
Romantic adventure story, but far more than just a romance. Sara Lee, who is more in love with her Fiancee's picture than his person, feels compelled to leave 1914 Pittsburgh and travel to war-torn Belgium. She raises a little money and then founds a soup kitchen just behind the Belgian trenches. She is assisted by a Belgian spy and his driver, a displaced nobleman.
The author was a war correspondent, and the scenes set in London and the front are very realistic. A bestseller in 1918, her tale is well written and paced. The main character learns that she is her own person, and this contrasts well with what society expects of her - quite different than today. Another comparison is made between the insular American politics and the European inevitability of their involvement.
I really enjoyed this book for those aspects and for the story itself. It puts a …
Romantic adventure story, but far more than just a romance. Sara Lee, who is more in love with her Fiancee's picture than his person, feels compelled to leave 1914 Pittsburgh and travel to war-torn Belgium. She raises a little money and then founds a soup kitchen just behind the Belgian trenches. She is assisted by a Belgian spy and his driver, a displaced nobleman.
The author was a war correspondent, and the scenes set in London and the front are very realistic. A bestseller in 1918, her tale is well written and paced. The main character learns that she is her own person, and this contrasts well with what society expects of her - quite different than today. Another comparison is made between the insular American politics and the European inevitability of their involvement.
I really enjoyed this book for those aspects and for the story itself. It puts a very human face on the early days of the Great War - Sara Lee and other characters feel compelled to serve. It is freely available on Project Gutenberg and an excellent audio recording is available from Librivox. I found this on my friend Michael's list of under appreciated female authors, and agree completely with him that this is a hidden gem. Recommended!