A shining tribute from a powerful voice in the historical fiction genre.
In Caroline Kelly’s potent and realistic debut, Holland Road, an injured war veteran travels back home where he struggles to rebuild his life. As the train rolls deeper into the heart of Maine, the uninterrupted rhythms of the place are still in existence and not much has changed. Enticed by the glory and fame of paratroops, nineteen-year-old Richard Dare had enlisted for combat in the summer of 1942, later joining the 82nd Airborne Division as a WWII medic. Sent home to New England after a life-altering injury, he carries an invisible storm of guilt, trauma, grief, and anger caused by the harrowing realities of war that only he seems to understand. He is no longer the young boy he once was and, like a prodigal son, he tries to fit in, though his attempts are fruitless. Dare must examine regrets, fears, desires, and his wounded soul while attempting to put his life back together and make the ostensibly difficult transition from the warfront to civilian life.
There is a misconception among some that soldiers coming home from the battlefront adjust to their former lives smoothly, a sharp contrast with what truly happens behind the curtains of these heroes’ real experiences. Caroline Kelly paints an intimate portrait of this grim reality through the main character’s pensive soliloquies, reflections, flashbacks, and well-placed discourses with his father. The magic fueling this sweeping narrative is the delicately crafted rich characterization and the extensively researched details that the author incorporates. The writer further provides the perfect backdrop to explore universal timeless subjects such as courage, faith, racial prejudice, and brotherhood, with some of these being subtly mentioned yet significant to the flow of the tale. A central theme of Richard’s mental state and his protracted quest for healing throughout the book is his love for his fellow soldiers. The narrative shifts between Richard’s life before the military, his liaisons with a former love interest, his wartime experiences, and his current situation. This illuminating tapestry transports readers back and forth from a bleak time in history to his modern-day life, effectively leaving us to reflect on the cost of war on humanity and the devastation it leaves on those who take part in it. Holland Road is a shining tribute from a powerful voice in the historical fiction genre to all soldiers who sacrifice their lives to defend their countries. Steeped in muscular lyricism, this book is an absolute must-read that serves as a reminder that their efforts do not go unnoticed and is a clarion call for everyone to foster a supportive environment upon their return home.
