Review: Wonderful Characters
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 06 1, 2013
I have never been one to read War stories in as much as the conflict in those types of stories always seemed to leave me aching. So when I read `Promises Made Under Fire', the first time through, I promised myself I'd just skip the details and head straight for the characters and watch their development. That's why I love to read Charlie Cochrane's stories, her characters. I was not disappointed. From the very beginning of this story Tom Donald and Frank Foden captured me with the men they were. It was disappointing to lose Frank and yet that very thing led to the growth in Tom that would eventually lead to his happiness when all was said and done.It was my second time reading the story however that caused me to stop and read carefully the descriptions of life in the trenches in France and life back at home in London. The differences between the two came to life for me. "An identical morning to yesterday and bound to be the same tomorrow. Tomorrow and tomorrow, world without end, amen," describing the bleakness of no hope that war brings to those who live it. Later on when Tom is in England looking for Frank's wife (who turns out to be Ronnie Palmer, another wonderful character) the words "walking along the path, I couldn't help stopping to smell the blossom--big, blousy flower heads, full of a subtle fragrance. I could imagine becoming drunk on them" caused me to see the drastic difference of the landscapes that Tom lived in. The whole story is filled with these kinds of comparisons.The pleasure I received in the final pages knowing that Tom had grown...matured to become the man he was meant to be through trials that so many didn't make it back from was wonderful.  He got his happiness in a much unexpected way through a friend that helped him on that journey through promises made under fire. Charlie has given us three more characters to cherish and hold dear to our hearts.