The Dust That Falls from Dreams - (Vintage International) by Louis de Bernieres (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

The Edwardian era has just begun, and in the idyllic countryside outside of London, young Rosie McCosh and her three sisters are growing up inseparable from their neighbors, the two Pitt brothers and the three Pendennis boys. But twelve years later, the outbreak of World War I brings their days of youthful camaraderie to an abrupt end. In the years that follow, these childhood pals will be scattered across Europe--from the trenches of France to the British hospitals where the McCosh sisters serve. Some will lose their lives, some their loved ones, some their faith--and all of them will lose their innocence. At the center of their stories, always, is Rosie--in love with one of her childhood friends and beloved by another--facing the collapse of the world she has always known, and the birth of another from its ashes. A sumptuous, sweeping, powerfully moving work of fiction, The Dust That Falls from Dreams is a story of profound loss and indelible hope.

Review Quotes

"Moving. . . . Poignant." --The New York Times Book Review

"A book that had me laughing, cringing and ultimately feeling a little spark of hope. In that, The Dust That Falls from Dreams is very much like my old favorite, Corelli's Mandolin." --Connie Nelson, Minneapolis Star Tribune

"Thrilling . . . . The inner life of de Bernières' lively roll call of characters is as vivid as the external realities." --The Independent (London)

"A gently evocative story of the war that didn't end all wars, but did wrench open the door to the modern world." --Time

"A feast of a novel." --The Times (London)

"De Bernières is playful and expansive. . . . Scenes [of war] strike just as hard as they must have when the first crop of World War I stories emerged." --Santa Fe New Mexican

"Beautifully observed. . . . De Bernières is an astute observer of the human heart." --Mail on Sunday

"While some period fiction offers an escape from contemporary concerns, the best stories of the past illuminate the present. . . . De Bernières vividly brings to life a world stalked by death." --Mark Lawson, The Guardian

"Genuinely thrilling." --Financial Times

"An elegiac vision. . . . [A] charming and quietly moving tale." --The Daily Telegraph

"A masterful tale that bridges two worlds and delineates the apocalyptic abyss in between. . . . This heartrending saga of love, loss, and endurance paints a vivid portrait of the steep price paid by an entire generation." --Booklist

"These are the hopeful stories about war, and they should be told." --The Star (Toronto)

"Heartwarming and devastating." --The National (UAE)

"Immensely enjoyable, rich in humour and incident, galloping along, inventive, often moving and almost always sympathetic." --The Scotsman

"[A] gripping tale of love and war. . . . De Bernières blends global events with personal stories to great effect, putting both into perspective." --Bookpage

"An unforgettable book. . . . The direct aftermath of the war is incredibly written." --The State Journal-Register (Springfield, IL)

About the Author