Title: Stella Bain
Author: Anita Shreve
ISBN: 9780316098861
No. of Pages: 272
Genre: Historical Fiction
Origins: Little, Brown and Company
Release Date: 5 November 2013
Bottom Line: Ambitious in scope, mediocre in execution
Synopsis:
“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.”
Thoughts: The problem with Stella Bain is not necessarily the story. It is well-written, enjoyable, and interesting. The fault lies in the synopsis. The synopsis details only the first third of the novel as Stella struggles to regain her memories. Once she does that, the story veers in a completely different, and much unanticipated, direction. A reader expects one story and gets something else. The plot shift is disconcerting and, for readers unable to put aside any preconceived expectations, off-putting.
There is no doubt that Stella has strength of character and honor, given that she volunteers as a nurse during World War I well before her country officially becomes involved in the war effort. She is independent and fiercely driven, as seen by her reluctance to accept the Bridges’ help and her insistence obtaining entrance to the Admiralty. The story eventually reveals the source of her determination and courage in scenes meant to shock but ultimately not wholly unexpected given what readers know about Stella to that point. In fact, there are so many twists and shifts in narrative that they soon lose their ability to surprise and instead become predictable.
Where Stella Bain excels is in its discussion of shell shock, or in the current terminology post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Even though the novel occurs in 1917-1918, its exploration of this mysterious illness is eerily timely as hospitals around the country struggle to help the hundreds of thousands of Gulf War and Afghanistan War military vets who battle this disorder every day. While more is known about the injury today, a reader gets the impression that for many, public sentiment remains the same today as it did for Stella. Her very real physical pains and months-long total amnesia show insight into the types of vague and haunting torture sufferers face daily.
Stella Bain is a relatively simple novel that attempts to tackle too many weighty topics, of which shell shock and its physical manifestations are just one example. Stella’s story also covers abusive marriages, love, friendship, maternal instinct versus the need for independence, gender norms of the 1910s, and more. The fact that the story shifts its focus from amnesia and rediscovery to something completely different may cause some discomfort because it happens so suddenly. Ultimately, the story is too ambitious and does not do adequate justice to its heavy subject matter.

Sorry you found this one a bit disappointing. It’s been awhile since I’ve read a Shreve novel, so I’m really looking forward to getting my hands on a copy!
This was my first experience with Ms. Shreve’s work. I can see why she is very popular. I would be willing to try another one of her books, so it couldn’t have been all that bad!
Funny you say the problem was the synopsis because I totally skipped over it in your review! Ann Patchett said she read The Casual Vacancy without any blurb whatsoever – just a stack of pages – and it was the most liberating thing to come into it without preconceived notions. I think about that a lot and aim to achieve that openness as much as possible.
Also, I really appreciate that you post lukewarm as well as raving reviews on your blog. I do the same but I feel like most bloggers just use their blogs to gush over books they love. The fact that you don’t (always) makes me trust you more!
The End 🙂
Honestly, I do try to avoid the synopsis when reading books. I read them when trying to decide whether to request a galley but if it is on my shelf, I figure there is a reason I have it there and therefore won’t typically read the blurb. This one though was SO different from my expectations that I had to go back to the synopsis to figure out if I was losing my mind. Not reading the synopsis is freeing. All expectations are thrown out the window, and you can enjoy the book as it unfolds without anticipating plot twists.
Thank you very much for your kind words! I feel that it is important to be honest about the books I read. I cannot love every book; it isn’t statistically possible no matter how much I want it to happen. To me, it’s only fair that my audience see that and realize that they too might have a similar response. Or not. Reading books is so personal. All I can do is share my opinions and the reasons for my opinions. I love hearing that you trust my opinions because of that. It means that I am reaching my goal of providing well-rounded and honest reviews.
I’ve got a copy of this one, why did I think the publish date was 11/12? I’ll still read, it’s short, but I admit your review has made me leary.
Thanks
I may not have enjoyed it as much as I hoped I would, but for another person, it was her selection for Bloggers Rec. I say read it and decide for yourself!