Look to the East

When I read the reviews of others, they often just repeat what is in the blurb. I try to find something different. Often others have already said it better. I like the thread where Juliette saw a bright light when someone she loved died. It gave her peace that her loved one was now with God. One year my siblings were in a car wreck on Christmas eve. The driver was killed. At the time of the young man's death his face flashed before his grandmother's eyes. I know that God does sometimes give people "the sight." When Juliette no longer needed "the sight" God took it away. But He did not leave her. That is my take home value from this book.

Maureen Lang has written some good books. I enjoyed "On Sparrow Hill" which was a nice blend of historical and modern and then "My Sister Dilly" was a women's fiction with heart. But now she brings us "Look to the East", the first in The Great War series and I am very excited. While there seem to be lots of historicals written during WWII, I don't seem to find many that take place during WWI. This series looks like it will fill a gap in that era. And if "Look to the East" is any indication, then I think it will be a great addition to WWI historicals. Julitte lives in a tiny village in France that has been split for generations by a Hatfield/McCoy type feud. She is the adopted daughter on one side of the feud and we meet up with her as the war has broken out and her father has already left to fight and her brother is leaving. She stays in the village and gets involved in hiding some soldiers from the Germans after their village is taken over. A couple years pass and now could Julitte have an effect on winning the war? I really enjoyed this book, the characters and especially the era and setting. Very good and I really look forward to book two and seeing where Maureen will take us next in WWI.

I chose Look to the East because of the setting: a small, poor French village caught in the middle of the First World War. Maureen's story kept me turning the pages to see if the men trapped behind enemy lines would be discovered, if those villagers putting their own lives in danger for the sake of those men would also be caught, if the silly town feud would end in the midst of war, if Julitte and Charles would be together... Maureen's descriptions enabled me to picture the small village with its cobbled streets and town square and the neighbor's peeking out of their small cottages in curiosity and fear. I could smell Uncle Guy's bread and hear the thudding of the German's hobnailed boots. I could feel the terror of guns at my back and booming cannons in the distance. I empathized with each villager that had to choose: love or hate? Food or betrayal? Trust or suspicion? Work or death? As I finished the last chapter, I was wishing that Maureen's next book in her Great War series was already in my hands. Ahh, I will have to wait until its release next summer. I really enjoyed Look to the East. And, although I believe it is quite historically correct that a small village such as this would have had a cure (or priest), I did not agree with many of the Biblical positions or applications. Charles prays for faith... and then is portrayed as "saved" throughout the rest of the book. Julitte sees "light" every time someone dies. Sometimes the light is brighter for certain people. Other than that, the story was wonderful. I've mentioned before that I like the whole would-I-could-I hide people in this kind of situation? That's why I will almost always read a book set in the Civil War and WWII. I'm not sure I've ever read any books in The Great War era, and Look to the East was a great read!

In 1914 as war seems imminent across the continent, in Briecourt in northern France, the hostilities are local as the "Hundred years War" between Toussaints and the de Colvilles remains heated. However, the German Armies march into France and soon occupy the small village. The two families know they must bury their feud in order to protect their kin, other villagers, and any straggler trapped by the German assault. One century of family feud fighting must end over night as a bigger threat looms. Although not a natural born Toussaint having been adopted, Juliette knows first hand the disdain held by the de Colvilles. She falls in love with wealthy Belgian entrepreneur Charles Lassone, whom she has delivered food to as he has been hidden from the Kaiser's troops in the cellar of the Briecourt church. If he is found out, he and several villagers will die. This is an intriguing historical tale with a romantic subplot enhancing the deep look at life during an occupation. Juliette is terrific as the lead protagonist who holds the insightful story line together as her love with Charles is pure and in stark contrast to a village filled with the seven deadly sins. Readers will enjoy this cautionary tale that resonates today at a time when outright lies by leaders are acceptable because the mean no longer matters if the end is achieved. Harriet Klausner

Maureen Lang has done it again, written a beautiful story and it is about World War I. There is an old feud between two families, the Toussaints and de Colvilles in the little village of Briecourt France. The village finds itself isolated from the rest of war torn France as the enemy marches forward, taking their homes,food, clothing and anything else that they can grab. The isolation forces the village people to take a second look at their circumstances as they learn to depend on one another. They take in people that have been caught behind enemy lines and hide them, even learning to help them escape to other places to help France and themselves be saved. But is it too late? Charles Lassone is one of the strangers who is hidden in the Church. He is a Belgian entrepreneur. An outsider all her life in this village, Juliette Toussaint is adopted but when she helps everyone around her, she discovers Charles and as she helps him, she realizes she is falling in love with him. She struggles with scorn and hunger as she helps him to escape to warn the people of France where the Germans are and the predicament that the village is in. She prays it won't be too late and the entire village is destroyed with the people who have lived there for over a century. Maureen has painted a beautiful picture of the country side of France with it's simple villagers. I enjoyed every step of the way with Juliette and her handsome knight in shining armor. I believe you will too as you immerse yourself in a wonderful story of heroism and what happened during World War I. Paulette L. Harris Free lance author/speaker