At the Going Down of the Sun

Stories set in the war times often fall into the trap of cliche and romantisism. Darell's novel " At the going down of the Sun" focuses itself on the lives of three very different brothers, each involved in the war in some way and each having their lives altered as a result of that experience. It is a book that I found difficult to put down because of its intense realism. It was a story that took me right into the lives of the brothers but more than that I could actually relate as a human being to the characters in the book and this pays tribute to the skill with which the author portrays the family.At no stage is their a hint of unoriginality. Rather than discuss the war itself it focuses on the impact of the war on peoples relationships although I did feel that at times more could have been put into the emotions and struggle of the inter-battle that each of the brothers had to fight. It has something for everyone. Love stories, grit and adventure. I loved this book and the way Darell told the untold story of the Great War.