The Return of the Soldier

By: Rebecca West

Narrated by: Nadia May

Length: 2 hrs and 57 mins

Publisher's summary

When Captain Chris Baldry, a World War I soldier, is sent home with a severe case of shellshock amnesia, he is a stranger to his wife, Kitty, and his adoring cousin, Jenny. Recoiling from the horrors of war and disillusioned with years of superficial married life, his mind has regressed 15 years into the past, where his heart may take refuge once again in the magic circle of his youth and of his first love, Margaret Allington.

In this lyrical and poignant story of a wounded man and the three concerned women who seek to heal him, Rebecca West explores the complexity of the mind and its subtle strategies for coping with life's painful realities. Only when Chris has the courage to face one pivotal moment of truth in his married life will he be able to awaken from his boyish fantasy and become, indeed, "every inch a soldier".

©1996 Blackstone Audio (P)1996 Blackstone Audio

Where is the real insanity?

Rebecca West published this novel 1918 at the age of 26. The basic plot is very simple. 36-year old Chris Baldry owns a substantial estate but as the novel opens has been fighting in World War I while his wife, Kitty, and his cousin Jenny, who greatly admires him, eagerly wait on letters from him. Jenny is the narrator of this story. Chris has written regularly but lately they have not received any letters and they have begun to worry a bit, though they remind each other that, in war, it is not always easy to write and sometimes letters get lost. But now, a woman named Margaret, whom Jenny describes as “repulsively furred with neglect and poverty, as even a good glove that has dropped down behind a bed in a hotel and has lain undisturbed is repulsive when the chambermaid retrieves it from the dust and fluff,” arrives with news that they are loath to believe.
She says that she has received a telegram informing that Chris is in a military hospital in England after a shell exploded nearby and he is physically uninjured but he has forgotten the past 15 years of his life. He does not remember that he is married to Kitty and, we find later, that he had had a child who had later died. She received the telegram because his last memory was of her. Kitty and Jenny immediately sense some kind of scam. How could that possibly be true? They demand to see the telegram and the letters he has since written, which she refuses because they contain information too personal and that would be hurtful to Kitty.
That is the opening to the book and the rest is a narration of how the 4 of them deal with the complicated love triangle along with the responsibility that Chris recognizes to his wife, though he does not remember her. In a sense, it is an early exploration of PTSD, though Chris’ symptoms and amnesia go further than simple PTSD. It is an exploration of the prejudices between the different classes as they immediately make assumptions about Margaret’s motives simply based on her dress and status, and this is emphasized by the author’s treatment of Jenny who, though she can’t completely break out of the class distinctions, still begins to verbalize some of the false assumptions later and even begins to favor Margaret and even respect her. There is also the struggle with what should be done with Chris and they do decide to allow Margaret to visit him regularly, and though she hesitates to participate in that at first, eventually she agrees. But, is an acceptance of the “truth” of the situation more important than his happiness?
And interestingly, though this is a “war novel,” the war is almost a backdrop. It is barely mentioned and you might even think that if Chris had suffered a head injury in a vehicle accident, the story would be the same. But as you read on, you find that isn’t true. They don’t say so directly, but there is an implication that maybe it is better not to try to “cure” him, and not only because he can still enjoy time with Margaret but because a cure likely could mean his return to the front and exposing his life to danger. Then you realize that, for the three women, the war is distant. They theoretically know of the horror and grief, but it is “over there” and only men participate in the war. They have been protected from the fighting and any exposure to the danger (unlike in World War II when bombing brought the war to Britain), so why should they think of it now other than as something to protect Chris from.
It is also an exploration of grief and in that, West shows a clear understanding and empathy that belies her age at the time (only 26 when it was published). She writes, “...grief is not the clear melancholy the young believe it. It is like a siege in a tropical city. The skin dries and the throat parches as though one were living in the heat of the desert; water and wine taste warm in the mouth and food is of the substance of sand; one snarls at one’s company; thoughts prick through one’s sleep like mosquitos.”
The novel was an expression of its time more than a century ago and though some of the thinking is very modern, some is very foreign to us. It’s easy to understand not wanting to send Chris back to war, but their way of handling him and his situation will seem strange and even contradictory to us, especially as they invite Margaret to visit regularly. But it is a well-crafted parable with good character development and a good plot. It is well written, not too long, and engaging.

I love this prose

ms. west writes amazing prose - narrator portrays it so well! highly recommended this.

Wonderfully written and read

Poignant story of grief and PTSD and their effects on not just the victims but also the family and friends. The narration was excellent.

Very touching

After years of wanting to read a book by Rebecca West, finally I got to do it. Return of the Soldier was deeply satisfying. The story of innocence lost, innocence regained, and innocence lost again more painfully and profoundly.

Many Layers

A story of much depth and superb craftsmanship that explores as many or as few things as the reader dares to think about.

a gem

Wanda McCaddon (not Nadia May as per the description) is exemplary. I had previously enjoyed this book with a different reader, but McCaddon can't be beat. Her Kitty is perfectly catty, the comical Dr. Anderson amuses, and McCaddon's quick-as-thought narration conveys multiple levels of meaning. Brilliant debut novel by Rebecca West—I wish more of her work were available in audiobook form. There were a couple breaks in the narration that were distracting, but this audiobook was included with my subscription so I can't really complain.

The Return of the Soldier

This was an interesting story. Set in the period of WWI, it is some insight into how a wounded soldier is treated. Not wounded of body but of mind.

I quiet enjoyed the way this book was told. It was from the perspective of an outsider but not it was interesting for sure.

Classics are not really my thing but I am glad I picked this book.

The narration was great it kept me engaged and wanting to know more.

Interesting

Well written and descriptive. Even though there was little action it was full of emotions.

The Return of a Soldier

I listened to this book for a reading challenge this year and will be the first to tell you I am not a fan of classics in any way. Although I wouldn’t normally give this book four stars, I feel that even though it was not my preference, the book would be getting this if it were. There is depth and emotions that would grip a person who likes these type books and I cannot give it a low star rating knowing it would be hard for me to enjoy before I even started.

A gem of Modernism

This is a beautifully written, heartbreaking novel that would probably be of interest to anyone who is curious about the WWI period. But, in fact, it's a worthy book from any era. The three women in the life of Chris (the titular soldier) each have a peculiar relationship with him. Jenny, the narrator, is our window onto their world and these relationships.