The Hour of Parade

Bray’s novel is an engaging historical about the unusual relationships formed during war. In 1806 Munich, during the Napoleonic Wars, Russian officer premier major Alexi Ruzhensky searches for the French officer who killed his younger brother in a duel. On finally encountering Lieutenant Valsin, though, Ruzhensky strikes up a friendship with him through their shared military experiences; his perspective on his brother’s death begins to change after speaking with other French soldiers who witnessed it. A thoughtful man, Ruzhensky must come to grips with these altered feelings and decide whether to rejoin his regiment, return to his father’s estate in Russia, or forge a new life in Munich. He must also figure out what to do with his mistress, Marianne, a young widow forced into prostitution. She loves Ruzhensky but fears what will happen if he must leave. She urges him to take his revenge. Valsin faces a similar situation with his lover, Anne-Marie, who followed Valsin onto the battlefield and actually engaged in combat. When Ruzhensky and Anne-Marie meet, the relationship among all four main characters becomes much more complicated. This is a rich and compelling look at four people seeking purpose. (BookLife)