Home Front: A Novel

Excellent read of a woman who loves her country and loves being a Blackhawk pilot. Loves her family and being a wife/mother. Strives to balance and be the best at home and career. A husband who doesn't understand her motivation and the military. A realistic story line of a family coping with a parent leaving for the battle field. Only this time it is the wife/mother who goes. How miscommunication and feelings are affected. How PTSD can and does tear apart a family apart. Joleen, the main character is a woman who struggles with her love of flying versus her love of family. Her guilt of leaving her 2 young daughters. I rated this a 5 Star as once I started reading I could not put the book down. The author did wonderful research on the military, making this story authentic and realistic. First time reading this author and I will look forward to reading more of her books.

There is a reason I am stingy with 5-star ratings and this book is a prime example of that reason. Every now and then you read a book that is just so far above the rest of the pack that you know you will not soon forget it. For me, this is one of those books. The last one I read that touched me to this degree was Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand, which also deserves 5 stars. This is one of the most compelling books I have read in a long time. Periodically I had to put it down and walk away, regain my perspective and return to my own world, but I was never able to walk away for long.

This book centers on the Zarkades family, Michael, Jolene, Betsy and Lulu. It is a book about family, friendship, war, loss, grief, courage, hope and most of all, love. The characters are complete with all the human flaws and frailties that are sometimes lacking in fiction. Jolene, a National Guard helicopter pilot, committed and courageous, willing to die for her country even while being scared that she might do just that. Yet she is also controlling, presumably as a result of her childhood where she learned that she could depend on no one else. Michael, a defense attorney, restless and trying to find a way to cope with the recent death of his father. Betsy, 12 years old and dealing with the typical pre-teen issues of peer pressure and wanting to grow up before she's ready and whose favorite word is "whatever". And Lulu, 5 years old and ... well, 5 years old, need I say more? These are the most real characters I have come across in a work of fiction recently. There is nothing flat or unbelievable about any of these people. They are good people, nice people; we like them and care about them, even when they aren't being very likeable.

Things haven't been quite right between Jolene and Michael, but Jolene is sure it's just a blip and that this too shall pass. Until the night that Michael informs her he "doesn't love (her) anymore". Jolene is devastated but certain they can work through this, until the next day when she receives the news: her National Guard unit is being deployed to Iraq. Jolene's departure is tragic for all. For Betsy it is the embarrassment of having a mother in the military, the lack of a mother to guide her through those pre-teen traumas. For Michael it is that in his mind she "chose" the military over him, especially now when he is undergoing his own "mid-life crisis". And for little Lulu it is missing mommy to kiss her boo-boos, read her a story at bedtime and hold her when she's scared.

One sub-plot is that Michael is currently representing a veteran of the Iraq war who is accused of killing his wife. He is suffering PTSD, post-traumatic stress syndrome, and Michael's defense is made more difficult by the fact that the young man doesn't seem to remember what happened the day his wife was killed. The research into this issue is obviously extensive and sheds light on that which most of us have only heard of in a vague sense.

I don't do spoilers, so I leave it at this. This is Kristin Hannah at an all-time best, this is the book that needed to be written, and that I suspect was simmering in her thoughts for a long time. This book conveys the reality of a soldier going to war and returning someone different. I have read very little by Ms. Hannah before, but I am certain this is her best work to date and will be a tough act to follow. It is very emotionally intense, and one that I guarantee you will be glad you read and you won't soon forget.

REVIEWED BY SUNNY

HOME FRONT starts by giving us a look back at how Jolene Zarkades grew up, so we can understand who she becomes. This important glimpse into the heroine's early life provides a meaningful backstory that was critical for the development of this main character. Most of the story revolves around the evolution of Jolene and those that fill her life. She is married to Michael, has two daughters, Betsy (12) and Lulu (4), and a best friend, Tami. She is a wife, a mother, and a dutiful helicopter pilot for the Army National Guard. Kristin Hannah weaves these people and these roles into a beautiful story about a family just trying to survive all that life throws their way.

It took me some time to get into this book. I was frustrated with the pace of the story at first. What I understood later was the importance of all the early events. They created the full picture of how the characters were in pre-deployment life, and how it was different for them post-deployment. The news of Jolene being deployed is when this story really started picking up. Imagine being pretty much a full-time mother, then getting the directive to start putting your affairs in order. Hannah did such a beautiful job of writing Jolene's transition. She began writing things down to prepare her husband for the day to day, and more importantly, preparing her family for life without her. As a woman helicopter pilot, she told those she loved that she wouldn't be in harm's way, yet she created beautiful videos for her daughters, just in case leaving was her final goodbye. I was emotionally touched by the circumstances and suddenly overwhelmed that soldiers across the country are preparing their own videos every day and saying goodbyes to protect our freedoms.

Things were difficult for everyone once Jolene left. Everyone was just trying to survive the circumstances and all of the new challenges at war and at home. This was when another special transition in the book occurred. Jolene protects her family from the truth while documenting actual events of war in a personal journal. A subplot for Michael has him defending a soldier, which provides him with clarity of Jolene's situation. This allows his character to develop into who he needs to be to support his post-deployment family.

All characters grow substantially in HOME FRONT. Oddly, I felt like and dislike for pretty much every character in the book at one time or another. At times, I was frustrated by the selfishness, the naiveté, the cowardice. Then I would be shockingly reminded of the reasons for those actions/feelings. Kristin Hannah plots out her storylines and characters well to weave a special story. The post-deployment life of the Zarkades family is another challenge that is beautifully written. How this family comes back together and starts healing is wonderful.

I can't say that I have much personal experience with this storyline as none of my close family or friends have ever gone to war. This book was truly an eye opener for me, and even though I had the utmost respect for our soldiers before, I had no idea what going to war was like. After getting a look into the life of a frontline soldier, it made me appreciate even more all who have fought for our freedoms. I am ashamed to say I wouldn't have the strength it must take to do what so many soldiers have. I am thankful to have read HOME FRONT to gain a better understanding of a soldier's sacrifice as well as the sacrifices of the family left behind. This story will stick with me for a long time!

BOTTOM LINE This book is a slow starter, but if you are willing to put in a little time upfront to gain a better understanding of the impacts of war on a struggling family, you would enjoy this book. If you are interested in learning more about the life of a soldier, HOME FRONT portrays it well.

RATING: B+