Very well written.

I really enjoyed the reminiscences of the pre-war part of the book. I found the wartime memories more difficult to read, as Michael Morpurgo has the ability to make you feel that you are there with him. He writes about the best and the worst of human nature.Read full review

Verified purchase:  Yes • Condition: pre-owned • Sold by: worldofbooks08

Too pleasant as a historical literary novel to be given to children

The writing is aimed at school lessons in English for those below GCSE grade 4, and fails to meet the mark of a good piece of literature. It ends with a court martial and some 'tag on' about the meaningless of such cases in WW1 but it fails in the narrative with dealing with the matters that its post script refers to. In short a man is shot by firing squad at the end of a long, tedious and rather implausible idyllic depiction of the lower class (eg working class) lives prior to WW1. How they laughed! How they kept the child with serious learning difficulties at home! How they laughed when the girl was found pregnant out of wedlock... and how they had one over the local land owner... It is quite pleasant, I presume for a child, but so lacking in any realism except when depicting the WW1 trenches. The idea of the whole problem being due to the misfortune of a sadistic sergeant is not far fetched but all the officers and the land owner are portrayed as benign or stupid or kind....Obviously the creation of the Labour Movement and all that came from the marches in the 1930s would not have occurred if the upper and ruling classes were so benign. Read your Hardy and your DH Lawrence to understand the mindset of the lower class who changed themselves to become the 'working classes'.Read full review

Verified purchase:  Yes • Condition: pre-owned • Sold by: baham_books

Great book for children who enjoy books about history.

I bought this book for my son because he is studying it at school. He was getting frustrated because they only read sections at a time in school. He is enjoying the book so much that I purchased it for him. Anything to encourage an 11 year old boy to read.Read full review

Verified purchase:  Yes • Condition: pre-owned • Sold by: worldofbooks08

Powerful reading, from reading age 11

My 7 year old and I are currently reading this together. The story is unpredictable, heartfelt and almost impossible to put down. To assist in meaningful comprehension, we pace ourselves by reading a couple of pages a night and examining the language, expressions, metaphors.Read full review

Verified purchase:  Yes • Condition: pre-owned • Sold by: musicmagpie

Brilliant Book

Thankyou, although beloved this book was in excellent condition. The story is wonderful.

Verified purchase:  Yes • Condition: pre-owned • Sold by: musicmagpie

Great page turner

I brought this book as my daughter was studying it at school and I thought we could discuss it together. I finished it way before she did as I couldn't put it down!

Verified purchase:  Yes • Condition: pre-owned • Sold by: books4alluk

Private Peaceful.... Just a mere child at 16yrs

After watching the stage play monologue and watching the film adaptation I couldn't put the book down until I'd finished it even knowing what was to come.

A thought provoking story.

A really good story, read it in two days and my wife in one day, compelling stuff.

Verified purchase:  Yes • Condition: pre-owned • Sold by: cmedia_group

Private peaceful is so interesting

My son loved this book.

Verified purchase:  Yes • Condition: pre-owned • Sold by: monster_bookshop

Great value

My son loved this book and used this copy during class at school

Verified purchase:  Yes • Condition: pre-owned • Sold by: baham_books