Publishers Weekly
08/19/2019
British historian Scott debuts with an unsettling close-up take on the staggering losses to a family shattered by a 1917 Western Front conflict that left “eight thousand nameless men” on the battlefield. Scott zeroes in on British woman Edie, whose husband, Francis, never came home, and the missing soldier’s younger brother Harry, who is haunted by memories of holding his wounded brother in his arms and the last words they spoke. When Edie gets a picture of Francis in the mail in 1921, she questions if he could still be alive and sets out with Harry to find him—or his grave—in France. Scott pinballs this two-part odyssey between 1917, as Harry, Francis, and their youngest brother, Will, who falls first on the battlefield, change from swaggering soldiers to haggard war veterans, and 1921, when Edie and Harry close in on the grim search for answers to Francis’s fate. “Oh, these men and their memories. It’s really not over for so many of them yet, is it?” one woman warns Edie in the disturbing resolution. Scott’s bold novel, inspired by her own family history, is instantly appealing for historical fiction fans. But the timeless story of love, loyalty, and honor will have appeal for readers of all interests. (Oct.)
From the Publisher
A beautiful, tender novel which explores the aftermath of the Great War, and the shattered lives left behind. Written with gorgeous prose and a cast of memorable characters, this is a stunning debut which had me spellbound from the first page to the last.” — Hazel Gaynor, New York Times bestselling author of The Lighthouse Keeper’s Daughter
“Scott says outright what Hemingway could only imply. Masterfully-wrought, with patiently-crafted characters, this World War I narrative enthralls from start to finish. I literally could not put it down. Sheer brilliance.” — Teresa Messineo, author of The Fire By Night
“A tribute to remembrance, The Poppy Wife is one of the most meticulously researched WWI novels I have read. Scott’s characters rise off the page with passion, heartache, and unbreakable hope.” — Sarah McCoy, New York Times and international bestselling author of Marilla of Green Gables
“Beautifully written, poignant and harrowing, The Poppy Wife makes us experience the destruction of WWI—not only the physical destruction to property and to bodies but to spirits and souls. I can’t say I loved this book, because how can one love something that embodies the suffering and futility so perfectly, but I devoured it.” — Rhys Bowen, New York Times Bestselling author of the Molly Murphy and Royal Spyness mysteries
“Part mystery, part love story, and part exploration of the aftermath of World War I, The Poppy Wife by Caroline Scott is a beautifully written, haunting novel. Scott masterfully weaves a layered story of both personal tragedy and redemption, filled with rich historical detail and lyrical prose.” — Jillian Cantor, USA Today bestselling author of The Lost Letter and In Another Time
“A lyrical page-turner, The Poppy Wife is both a love story and a profound meditation on the paradoxes of war…a powerful, redemptive novel, one that teaches us not only about history, but about our capacity for love.” — Abigail DeWitt, author of News of Our Loved Ones
“Scott’s bold novel, inspired by her own family history, is instantly appealing for historical fiction fans. But the timeless story of love, loyalty, and honor will have appeal for readers of all interests.” — Publishers Weekly
“I’ve visited many WWI battlefields and villages, but never has the history come to life for me the way it does in this remarkable debut. Through seamless storytelling and characters shaped with incredible care, Caroline Scott shows us that the suffering didn’t end when the artillery fell silent, but the battles carried on at the homefront for years to come.” — Ellen Keith, author of The Dutch Wife
“Beautiful, unflinching, elegiac: [The Poppy Wife] is going to be on an awful lot of Best Books of the Year lists, mine included...it’s unforgettable.” — Iona Grey, author of The Glittering Hour
“A poignant hymn to those who gave up their lives for their country and to those who were left behind.” — Fanny Blake, author of What Women Want
"British historian Scott’s first novel is a beautifully evocative reminder of what it means to come back from war and to face the age-old question of whether it is better to have survived or to have died. Highly recommended." — Library Journal (starred review)
"The pain of not knowing where a son, brother or husband lies, and the guilt and psychological dissonance that torment survivors, are movingly conveyed in this terrific first novel."
— Daily Mail (UK)
“A dazzling intersection of romance and historical fiction.” — Popsugar
“This excellent debut is a melancholic reminder of the rippling after-effects of war.”
— The Times (UK)
“[I]mpressive…a touching novel of love and loss.” — Sunday Times (London)
“Scott has done an amazing job of drawing on real stories to craft a powerful novel.” — Good Housekeeping, UK
Jillian Cantor
Part mystery, part love story, and part exploration of the aftermath of World War I, The Poppy Wife by Caroline Scott is a beautifully written, haunting novel. Scott masterfully weaves a layered story of both personal tragedy and redemption, filled with rich historical detail and lyrical prose.
Hazel Gaynor
A beautiful, tender novel which explores the aftermath of the Great War, and the shattered lives left behind. Written with gorgeous prose and a cast of memorable characters, this is a stunning debut which had me spellbound from the first page to the last.
Iona Grey
Beautiful, unflinching, elegiac: [The Poppy Wife] is going to be on an awful lot of Best Books of the Year lists, mine included...it’s unforgettable.
Abigail DeWitt
A lyrical page-turner, The Poppy Wife is both a love story and a profound meditation on the paradoxes of war…a powerful, redemptive novel, one that teaches us not only about history, but about our capacity for love.
Rhys Bowen
Beautifully written, poignant and harrowing, The Poppy Wife makes us experience the destruction of WWI—not only the physical destruction to property and to bodies but to spirits and souls. I can’t say I loved this book, because how can one love something that embodies the suffering and futility so perfectly, but I devoured it.
Teresa Messineo
Scott says outright what Hemingway could only imply. Masterfully-wrought, with patiently-crafted characters, this World War I narrative enthralls from start to finish. I literally could not put it down. Sheer brilliance.
Ellen Keith
I’ve visited many WWI battlefields and villages, but never has the history come to life for me the way it does in this remarkable debut. Through seamless storytelling and characters shaped with incredible care, Caroline Scott shows us that the suffering didn’t end when the artillery fell silent, but the battles carried on at the homefront for years to come.
Sarah McCoy
A tribute to remembrance, The Poppy Wife is one of the most meticulously researched WWI novels I have read. Scott’s characters rise off the page with passion, heartache, and unbreakable hope.
Fanny Blake
A poignant hymn to those who gave up their lives for their country and to those who were left behind.
The Times (UK)
This excellent debut is a melancholic reminder of the rippling after-effects of war.
Good Housekeeping
Scott has done an amazing job of drawing on real stories to craft a powerful novel.
Sunday Times (London)
[I]mpressive…a touching novel of love and loss.
Daily Mail (UK)
"The pain of not knowing where a son, brother or husband lies, and the guilt and psychological dissonance that torment survivors, are movingly conveyed in this terrific first novel."
Popsugar
A dazzling intersection of romance and historical fiction.”
