REGENERATION

Pat Barker's story of a decorated English officer who is sent to a military hospital after publicly declaring his refusal to fight is replete with the author's forte in depicting the psychological effects of WWI. Vivid descriptions create poignant scenes of shell shock, harrowing treatment, the horrors of trench warfare, and the insanity of war as seen through decorated hero and noted poet Siegfried Sassoon. Class and political issues are also woven throughout. Narrator Peter Firth gives a smooth and understated performance. Vocal characterizations are vivid, and characters readily identifiable: from a middle-aged doctor treating shell-shocked soldiers and upper-class officers reliving the torments of the trenches to working-class women working in the armaments factories. A.W. © AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine [Published: JULY 2008]