Aaron Miller is a Vietnam veteran. Once upon a time a hero, now forgotten--except by three of the men with whom he served in the jungles of Vietnam. Aaron's job as handyman in a trailer park is about as far from heroism as he can get, and he prefers it that way.Dave Russo is a reporter for his local paper. In his spare time, he’s working on a book about men who served in the Vietnam war. He's compiled a list of names from old news accounts, and when he contacts John Lansing, one of those names, the former Marine makes him an offer too good to refuse--find Aaron Miller. After John shares his reasons, Dave agrees to do what he can to find a man whom no one who knew him has seen for decades.
Walsh's storytelling skills shine in The Reunion. His descriptions of jungle battle scenes were so realistic I was transfixed in horror. The novel moves at a brisk pace, with surprises in every chapter. Be sure you have tissues on hand when you read the final scenes.
I don't normally get too personal in my reviews, but my husband is a Vietnam vet. Reading about Aaron's (and the other men's) struggles brought me to tears more than once. In addition to being a gripping novel, The Reunion is a tribute to Vietnam veterans, all of whom bore the brunt of our nation's dislike of an unpopular war at that dark time in our history.
I recommend The Reunion wholeheartedly. Just don’t forget to keep a box of tissues handy.
My thanks to Revell and the author for providing me with my review copy.
Posts
My brother is a vietnam vet and it took him years to get past it. Also my husband just lost his brother who was a VietNam viet and it changed his life for the worse. Would love to read it.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, Ann. Loved your review. Tell your husband (and your brother, squiresj) they have my utmost respect.
ReplyDeleteI had originally thought to set this in the WW2 era, which I know much more about. But I'm so glad now that I didn't. My research for this book had a profound affect on me.
Dan
I would imagine it did, Dan! There are so many men out there who were *ashamed* to be seen in their uniforms when they returned from Vietnam. Not all of them are Aaron Millers, but they all carry scars. My brother served 3 tours over there flying from aircraft carriers for the Navy.
ReplyDelete