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Interesting,
Beautiful,
Dramatic

2 reviews

Stella Bain
by Anita Shreve

Published: 2013-11-12
Hardcover : 272 pages
2 members reading this now
6 clubs reading this now
4 members have read this book
Recommended to book clubs by 1 of 2 members
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 ...
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Introduction

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.

Editorial Review

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Excerpt

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Discussion Questions

Suggested by Members

1. Was Stella Bain's trial complete enough? Or did the story make no need to expand the trial proceedure?
by skdebonisataol2014 (see profile) 01/23/15

Notes From the Author to the Bookclub

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Book Club Recommendations

Member Reviews

Overall rating:
 
 
  "Pleasing Enough with Moments of Beauty"by Jodie B. (see profile) 03/21/21

3.5 stars for this one.
Atypical of many of Shreve's works, this one was pleasant enough, but never quite rose to the brilliance of her earlier books. The ending felt a bit rushed & abrupt.
... (read more)

 
by Lisa C. (see profile) 08/23/17

 
  "Stella Bain"by Donna C. (see profile) 06/04/15

Our book club really enjoyed this book and a glimpse into WW1

 
  "Stella Bain"by Sandy D. (see profile) 01/23/15

The book was interesting, but not compelling. Some of the premises were hard to accept...i.e. leaving your children and traveling so far to a dangerous place. The ending was rushed.

 
by Jo B. (see profile) 06/15/14

I was attracted to this book because of the amnesia, World War 1, British / American, psychiatry, and mystery themes. The story was somewhat interesting, but ultimately, it didn’t satisfy me. I found... (read more)

 
  "Stella Bain"by Diane P. (see profile) 01/09/14

Easy read and at lest led to good discussion but other than that I/we were not very impressed with Shreve, especially for me after her EPIC Fortunes Rock. With so much literature I would ski... (read more)

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