Perfume River
By Robert Olen Butler
A contemplative novel, which explores the effects of war on the lives of three generations of men who go to different wars and serve in different capacities and for very different reasons: WWII, the Vietnam War, and finally, the Iraq war.
Well written, the novel mainly focuses on the middle generation, Robert and how he deals with the fall-out from his father's experience fighting in WWII, who supports him to enlist to fight in Vietnam, and how he subsequently suffers from the memories of a Vietnamese woman he fell in love with and lost, and the memories of his seeming cowardice as a non-combat U.S. serviceman.
Intersecting this story is the story of another man who's father fought in the Vietnam war, and how he suffers the sins of his father.
The ending is shocking.
Rating: 3/4
Recommendation: An OK read.
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