The story in one page
Franky Sherbrand and his bride, Margot, start their life together in 1914, blissfully ignorant of the coming global disaster. As the conflict intensifies, the narrative follows their social circle and the shifting reality of a Britain transitioning to total war. Franky, a brave but standard Guardsman, eventually takes to the air. After a catastrophic injury leaves him blind, a shell-shock incident strangely restores his vision, allowing him to reunite with Patrine Saxham. They eventually marry amidst the constant thrum of military aircraft overhead, accepting that their personal happiness must be placed second to the demands of the front.
Who's who
- Francis Athelstan Sherbrand
A Viscount and airman who discovers love under the shadow of war.
- Margot Mountjohn
Franky's pretty, initially naive wife who evolves during the war years.
- Patrine Saxham
A resilient woman of the stark Saxham family who marries the blinded airman.
- Saxham
A doctor who observes the moral shifts within his upper-class patients.
What it's really about
- The Home Front
- Civilian life slowly surrenders to the demands of combat.
- Martial Duty
- Personal desire consistently takes a backseat to national survival.
Why it's memorable
- Margot attempting to grasp the scale of the war while surrounded by society gossip.
- A shell-shock explosion serving as the unlikely trigger for a miraculous medical recovery.
The ending, explained
Spoilers — show the ending
Franky and Patrine share a final, four-day honeymoon before he returns to the Western Front, fully accepting their roles in the conflict. They find a permanent union in the knowledge that their love is strong enough to survive the potential loss of life.
For your book club
- How the upper classes of 1914 struggled to process the onset of total war.
- The role of the 'Bird of War' as a symbol for the changing nature of combat.