Stella Bain

By: Anita Shreve

Narrated by: Hope Davis

An epic story, set against the backdrop of World War I, from bestselling author Anita Shreve.

When an American woman, Stella Bain, is found suffering from severe shell shock in an exclusive garden in London, surgeon August Bridge and his wife selflessly agree to take her in.

A gesture of goodwill turns into something more as Bridge quickly develops a clinical interest in his houseguest. Stella had been working as a nurse's aide near the front, but she can't remember anything prior to four months earlier when she was found wounded on a French battlefield.

In a narrative that takes us from London to America and back again, Shreve has created an engrossing and wrenching tale about love and the meaning of memory, set against the haunting backdrop of a war that destroyed an entire generation.

Critic reviews

PRAISE FOR RESCUE:

"Fans of Anita Shreve will likely devour this new novel..."—Entertainment Weekly

"[Rescue] is Shreve at her best, looking at a family tragedy and the events that caused those involved to reevaluate their past and to find the courage to possibly change their lives."—Associated Press

A captivating story

This is the first book I have read by Anita Shreve. I found the opening of the book gripping. I could imagine walking up not knowing where you are or who you are. Shreve has a young woman waking up in a military hospital in France in 1916, suffering from pneumonia, shell shock and debilitating pains in her feet from shrapnel. She cannot remember her name but remember she was a nurse’s aid and drove an ambulance. Stella spoke only a little French but a nun spoke English, from Stella’s accent they tried to figure out if she was Canadian or American. Shreve writes with a quite urgency about aspects of life during world war one. The descriptions of Stella’s time in the field and hospital in France are especially compelling. She delves into the nature of shell shock and memory loss. Shreve has created a memorable character in Stella, a woman more independent and forth right than the male authorities of 1916 are comfortable dealing with. One of the key attributes of Stella is she does not give up no matter how hard or dangerous the going may be. Toward the end of the book the extensive dialogue and courtroom testimony moves the story along swiftly. I like the way she ties up everything at the end of the book. I think Shreve did a good job showing the turmoil of the time and the rapidly social changes occurring during WWI. Hope Davis did a good job narrating the story.

Stella Bain

I loved this book. The author draws the reader into the story in such a way that you don’t want to put the book down. Well done!

Have you ever been to the WWI front? Stella goes

This book gave the reader a lot of locations. You were able to meet Stella Bain and learn about her slowly as her story unfolds at the front and in England. With her loss of memory, you keep hoping to find out more about her as she seeks answers. Something from within her keeps driving her to the Admiralty in London. I really enjoyed the first 2/3rds of the book, but the ending was not as polished as I thought it should be. I felt as though I was a bystander at the front and in London but when she eventually learns who she is, it wasn't as tightly written and I kind of lost a portion of my involvement with the character. The narrator was fine and did not detract in my mind. I don't regret this book, but I'm not so sure I would read it again.

Great writer

All her characters become real. She brings you right into the story and feel you are right there with them.

Loved it

It kept my interest and I enjoyed the characters. I didn't want it to end!