Stella Bain
| Industry | Publishing |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | United States |
| Products | Books |
Stella Bain is a novel by American author Anita Shreve, situated in the context of World War I. It was published on November 12, 2013, by Little, Brown and Company.
Synopsis
The narrative centers on Etna Bliss, a woman afflicted with amnesia resulting from shell shock after her service as an ambulance driver in London during the First World War. Found in a weakened condition at a hospital in Abyssinia, she is subsequently treated in London by August Bridge, a cranial surgeon and psychologist who takes on the role of her mentor. As Etna gradually recuperates, she begins to piece together memories of her former life, including ties to the British Admiralty. She reconnects with Samuel, an officer she had loved before the conflict, and despite her diagnosis, after lengthy legal battles beginning in 1917, she secures custody of her adult children Clara and Nicholas by 1930.
Reception
The reception of Stella Bain was varied. The Harvard Crimson expressed criticism regarding the author's handling of dialogue and scene depiction. USA Today awarded the book three stars, observing that it emphasizes romance more than wartime elements. Jim Higgins from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel drew parallels between this work and Pat Barker's Regeneration.
Further critiques were published in outlets such as the Los Angeles Times, San Francisco Chronicle, The Boston Globe, The Washington Post, and Toronto Star.