Another powerful historical fiction from Caroline Scott – When I Come Home Again brings unforgettable voices to life in this new must read book.

The plot:

They need him to remember. He wants to forget.

1918. In the last week of the First World War, a uniformed soldier is arrested in Durham Cathedral. When questioned, it becomes clear he has no memory of who he is or how he came to be there.

The soldier is given the name Adam and transferred to a rehabilitation home. His doctor James is determined to recover who this man once was. But Adam doesn’t want to remember. Unwilling to relive the trauma of war, Adam has locked his memory away, seemingly for good.

When a newspaper publishes a feature about Adam, three women come forward, each claiming that he is someone she lost in the war. But does he believe any of these women? Or is there another family out there waiting for him to come home?

Not an easy read, but brilliant. Get this author an award.

I went into When I Come Home Again a little bias because I loved The Photographer of the Lost, Scott’s last book (my review here), and made it one of my top reads of 2019. Photographer has a special place in my heart, and I’d highly recommend you read both of these books (both standalone).

This is a high 4-star read for me, and only because I slightly preferred the other book. It’s close to a 5-star, and incredibly emotive and gives soldiers, and both the families behind the soldiers, a voice.

I’ve remarked on the author’s writing before and if anyone asks me which author has the most beautiful writing skills, I’ll always pick Caroline Scott. From the get-go, you’re pulled in and, as if it were a 3D book, the characters and locations jump out at you. It is easy to make connections and brings each and every character to life with exquisite descriptions.

These descriptions went hand-in-hand with multiple-character chapters – all had something different about them, and it flowed incredibly well. These chapters gave a huge insight into the women and their journey with loss and often left you hurting with them. You then had Adam and James, who both fought in World War 1 and are battling their own inner demons – the resounding effect of this trauma is also shown incredibly well.

Scott, similarly to the other book, leaves you asking questions until very close to the end. I enjoy this, as it’s the journey and different perspectives which count, and I found that I could really get sucked into the story.

However, I did find this book slow at times. It’s a lengthy read, and whilst there isn’t any repetition and the story is moving forward in countless ways, I did find myself counting the pages until the next chapter. It doesn’t have that intensity, which I’d debate is appropriate for the key topic.

An emotive, compelling, interesting and all-round important novel about loss and hope following the first war. Not an easy read, but brilliant. Get this author an award.

When I Come Home Again, Caroline Scott, RRP £16.99 (hardback); Book Depository 

Pages: 482

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Genre: Historical Fiction