Author: Jean Little
Publisher: Scholastic
Place and Year of publication : Canada 2003
Number of pages : 235
Where I found the book: School library
The themes of family and perseverance couldn't be more powerful than in the World War 1 diary of Eliza Bates. "Brother Far From Home" is only a glimpse of the tragedy that war creates and the people it destroys. The title itself hints at the pain it brings a family to have their sons leave the comfort of their home to die at the enemies' unmerciful hands. In this book, twelve-year old Eliza is very attached to her siblings, and especially to her older brother Hugo. She looks up to him for everything and means the world to her. Then the war begins in 1916, and Hugo and her other brother James go to war, leaving Eliza always wondering what will happen to her family's future, and if her brothers will come back home.
So, when the fateful war begins Eliza continues to live her life in Uxbridge,Ontario fearing that any piece of news that might come would shatter her life into pieces. She eventually starts to question everything she's learned from childhood as a preacher's daughter. She wonders how God would allow something like war to happen. As the war continued, Eliza's life dragged on until the most unexpected , most dreaded thing happens. Hugo dies at the hands of a Canadian soldier.The news shock everyone who hears them. Eliza's family drowns in grief over the loss of their beloved son Hugo; the piece of their family that will forever be gone. Eliza herself felt as if a knife was shoved straight into her heart. As they mourned their loss, only bad news came. James was seriously injured and may not survive.
Eventhough the Bates family struggles to handle the news of Hugo and James. Eliza persevred through it all just for the sake of her brother, knowing that he wanted her to be happy no matter what might happen to him. Even if that meant that life will never be the same again. Hugo's death was the price they paid to the war, and will keep paying for until they reach the doorstep of their graves. The pain and grief never goes away; but this is the ultimate sacrifice and the price of peace.
Christian Perspective
Yes, I do think this book is written in a Christian perspective. The author refers to God a lot in the book from a Christian point of view. As a Christian, I think that there is a lot that I could learn from Eliza Bates' perseverance that I should have in my own life. I think that if I was in her place I would have asked God the same questions. Her story reminds that eventhough there is pain in this world, God is still there with us holding our hands. And no matter what might happen God will never give us something we can't handle.
My Thoughts
I chose this book because I wanted to read a biography. As I read this great story, I was inspired by the events of our past. I enjoyed looking at World War 1 from the unique perspective, that is illustrated in every page. One of the things I enjoyed was the honest opinion of the author that lasted throughout the book. I would recommend this book to any reader who loves history and hungers to know the truth.
Great book review Monica! I really like how you introduced your summary with the themes you saw in the story. I also am glad that you enjoyed reading about a huge event in history from the perspective of someone who actually lived through it. It gives a strong impression of what living through it was actually like.
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