Review: "Gossip from the Forest" by Thomas Keneally

This is the story of the men, both German and French who gathered in the woods of France to work out the details of the armistice that ended World War I. The German envoys were not well known and each questioned why he was even chosen for this auspicious task. There were politicians, soldiers and sailors in their group. They had to make the hair-raising crossing of the German front which was falling into chaos to reach the rendezvous point with the French. The French party consisted of generals and their aides. This fictional account delves into the personalities of all involved. It highlights their fears and emotions on this propitious moment in history.

The author follows the story chronologically through switching back and forth between both the French and the Germans. I liked the way he filled the back ground information on the characters and their lives and how each came to be at this time in history. I also enjoyed how he followed thru on what happened to these men later in life. I did find it hard to follow because a lot of the names from both the French and German side were similar.

I found this a very interesting story about a time in history I know little about but this was not an easy book for me to read. I recommend it for readers who are interested in the World War I era, but suggest being familiar with this period of history before reading it.

I requested and received this book for review from NetGalley.