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Pieces of Me
For fans of A Thousand Splendid Suns, Anatomy of a Soldier, Girl at War and Yellow Birds.
Emma did not go to war looking for love, but Adam is unlike any other.
Under the secret shadow of trauma, Emma decides to leave Iraq and joins Adam to settle in Colorado. But isolation and fear find her, once again, when Adam is re-deployed. Torn between a deep fear for Adam’s safety and a desire to be back there herself, Emma copes by throwing herself into a new role mentoring an Iraqi refugee family.
But when Adam comes home, he brings the conflict back with him. Emma had considered the possibility that her husband might not come home from war. She had not considered that he might return a stranger.
Emma did not go to war looking for love, but Adam is unlike any other.
Under the secret shadow of trauma, Emma decides to leave Iraq and joins Adam to settle in Colorado. But isolation and fear find her, once again, when Adam is re-deployed. Torn between a deep fear for Adam’s safety and a desire to be back there herself, Emma copes by throwing herself into a new role mentoring an Iraqi refugee family.
But when Adam comes home, he brings the conflict back with him. Emma had considered the possibility that her husband might not come home from war. She had not considered that he might return a stranger.
- GenresFictionContemporary
325 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 24, 2018
50 people are currently reading
719 people want to read
About the author
Natalie Hart
1 book21 followersNatalie Hart is a writer, researcher and communications adviser, specialising in conflict and post-conflict environments. She has worked extensively across the Middle East and North Africa, including three years in Iraq where Pieces of Me is set. Natalie has a BA in Combined Middle Eastern Studies (Arabic and Spanish) from the University of Cambridge and an MA in Creative Writing from Lancaster University.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 74 reviews
October 14, 2018
5☆ A Poignant and Powerful Read of Romance and War.
PIECES OF ME Is a heart breaking, poignant and powerful evocative story of the effects of war, family, relationships and sacrifice.
The story Is very much a character driven storyline.
The pace is a little slower but it flowed along beautifully, I became fully absorbed in the characters lives.
Emma works in Iraq helping people to escape the conflict and war, by gaining an American citizenship. She is very passionate about her job and her need to help.
Emma meets and falls in love with Adam.
Adam is a medic in the US Army.
Emma and Adam, move to Colorado to be together. But Adam gets called back.
Emma is devastated.
But will Adam come back alive? Or come back as a different person? War changes people. It changes everything!
I have to admit I had reservations when I first read the blurb, that it would be too heavy for me to follow.
But I couldn't be more wrong!!
The writing was passionate, compelling and told in several timelines, which was really helpful in following the lives of Emma and Adam.
The story is told with empathy and compassion it touches the heart and pulls the reader in. It's very much a thought provoking read that will have you thinking about it long after.
Natalie has created beautiful real characters who spring to life on the page.
This is a raw, emotional and compelling look into war, the effects of war, relationships, friendship, refuges, survival, love and heartbreak.
Definitely a Must Read!
This is my first book by Natalie Hart, she is definitely going on my Authors to look out for!
Thank you to Legend Press for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
My Review is also on my Blog Website :-
https://dashfan81.blogspot.com/2018/1...
PIECES OF ME Is a heart breaking, poignant and powerful evocative story of the effects of war, family, relationships and sacrifice.
The story Is very much a character driven storyline.
The pace is a little slower but it flowed along beautifully, I became fully absorbed in the characters lives.
Emma works in Iraq helping people to escape the conflict and war, by gaining an American citizenship. She is very passionate about her job and her need to help.
Emma meets and falls in love with Adam.
Adam is a medic in the US Army.
Emma and Adam, move to Colorado to be together. But Adam gets called back.
Emma is devastated.
But will Adam come back alive? Or come back as a different person? War changes people. It changes everything!
I have to admit I had reservations when I first read the blurb, that it would be too heavy for me to follow.
But I couldn't be more wrong!!
The writing was passionate, compelling and told in several timelines, which was really helpful in following the lives of Emma and Adam.
The story is told with empathy and compassion it touches the heart and pulls the reader in. It's very much a thought provoking read that will have you thinking about it long after.
Natalie has created beautiful real characters who spring to life on the page.
This is a raw, emotional and compelling look into war, the effects of war, relationships, friendship, refuges, survival, love and heartbreak.
Definitely a Must Read!
This is my first book by Natalie Hart, she is definitely going on my Authors to look out for!
Thank you to Legend Press for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
My Review is also on my Blog Website :-
https://dashfan81.blogspot.com/2018/1...
July 1, 2019
3.5★
“There was always something hedonistic about the International Zone in the aftermath of an attack. People drank more. Danced more. Shared other people’s beds. We had existential crises and bathed in the relief of being alive. We wanted to touch, feel, forget.”
The first part of the book, Pre-deployment, is a love story, and while I was interested in the circumstances in the IZ (we’re not taken into battle), it felt like a romance novel, and I considered quitting. The soldiers and civilian workers had the heightened senses of knowing their lives were at risk, so played hard when they could. What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.
The book blurb outlines the situation, which, sadly, isn’t unusual: Girl meets boy in war zone, boy takes her ‘home’ to US and leaves her there while he goes back to Iraq, then returns, badly damaged.
English girl Emma tells the story of meeting American soldier Adam when he comes to the International Zone. She works there, assisting Iraqis who are applying for admission to the US to escape prosecution for working with, or for, the Americans. She loves the work, helping families who’ve already lost relatives to war.
But there were bombs and bomb warnings, and Hart did a credible job of describing the sudden terror when a warning would sound in the middle of a client interview. Emma is interviewing people who’ve been living unprotected from death threats that have been levelled against them, so they are even jumpier than she is. She has to draw their stories out, ask them to remember things as best they can so she can fill out their applications.
“. . . but for many the problem is that the memory becomes fragmented. For some it may splinter and for others it divides into delicate stretches of thread that are wound tightly together. They cannot reach one part of the thread without unravelling the part before. When you ask them ‘Who do you think killed your husband?’ they must first tell you about the food that their mother was cooking at the time, or the washing that their neighbour was hanging on the rooftop
. . .
If the erasure of traumatic memories is a coping mechanism, what happens when the experiences are brought to the surface again? Who helped to organise and fold and pack away the memories once I was done?”
Adam is a Special Forces soldier, also a trained medic, but we don’t see or hear much of his day-to-day. As they court, they spend their time on picnics and daydreaming about a future back in ‘real life’ where they aren’t risking their lives at work. They plan a normal life.
They marry and move to Fort Carson, near Colorado Springs in the US West, where the locals think Emma sounds like royalty. This is not home to her, but she does her best to fit in. Much is made of her making friends, but all too soon, Adam is set to deploy to Iraq, leaving her as an army wife with nothing to do and no purpose. Her father was a doctor, always helping people, and she is exactly like him. She can’t just sit still, but Adam wants her there, safe, protected, not back in Iraq where she knows she's needed.
The second part of the book is Deployment. He’s away, she’s in her new home – alone.
“People understand the difficult parts of war, or rather, they know that the bad bits must be beyond what they could ever imagine. But it is the good bits that confuse them. The reasons that we love it. That we miss it. That we keep going back. It is in the wistful looks of men and women who say ‘F**k, those days were awful, but damn they were the best.’ That is harder to explain. It is this feeling that bonds those of us who have been there and makes us different from those who have not.”
Emma understands Iraq, the culture, the people, and she speaks some Arabic. The American army wives don’t want to know about Iraq and are suspicious of refugees, some of whom live in Colorado Springs and to whom Emma naturally gravitates. People from Iraq are killing our soldiers, say the women. Emma feels more foreign than ever.
“It is safer to listen rather than talk with Penny. I do not talk about Iraq with her. I do not talk about the Iraqis I helped move to the States. To her, foreigners are a different species and she does not deal well with things she doesn’t understand. Iraq is a part of me that I switch off when I am with her.”
The third part of the book is Post-deployment, and I found it compelling reading. It’s not the individual characters I cared about so much as the circumstances. It is frightening to think what has been happening to generations of soldiers, probably since Vietnam. People come and go and come back and go back. Can’t live there, can’t stay put.
I have a hard time rating this one. Some parts feel a bit awkward and contrived, but others are well-written and excellent and feel very real. And it certainly asks the question, as with the escaping Iraqis who are trying to live with their buried memories, who will help the returned soldiers with theirs?
Thanks to NetGalley and Legend Press for the review copy from which I've quoted. It was shortlisted for the 2018 Costa First Novel Award.
“There was always something hedonistic about the International Zone in the aftermath of an attack. People drank more. Danced more. Shared other people’s beds. We had existential crises and bathed in the relief of being alive. We wanted to touch, feel, forget.”
The first part of the book, Pre-deployment, is a love story, and while I was interested in the circumstances in the IZ (we’re not taken into battle), it felt like a romance novel, and I considered quitting. The soldiers and civilian workers had the heightened senses of knowing their lives were at risk, so played hard when they could. What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.
The book blurb outlines the situation, which, sadly, isn’t unusual: Girl meets boy in war zone, boy takes her ‘home’ to US and leaves her there while he goes back to Iraq, then returns, badly damaged.
English girl Emma tells the story of meeting American soldier Adam when he comes to the International Zone. She works there, assisting Iraqis who are applying for admission to the US to escape prosecution for working with, or for, the Americans. She loves the work, helping families who’ve already lost relatives to war.
But there were bombs and bomb warnings, and Hart did a credible job of describing the sudden terror when a warning would sound in the middle of a client interview. Emma is interviewing people who’ve been living unprotected from death threats that have been levelled against them, so they are even jumpier than she is. She has to draw their stories out, ask them to remember things as best they can so she can fill out their applications.
“. . . but for many the problem is that the memory becomes fragmented. For some it may splinter and for others it divides into delicate stretches of thread that are wound tightly together. They cannot reach one part of the thread without unravelling the part before. When you ask them ‘Who do you think killed your husband?’ they must first tell you about the food that their mother was cooking at the time, or the washing that their neighbour was hanging on the rooftop
. . .
If the erasure of traumatic memories is a coping mechanism, what happens when the experiences are brought to the surface again? Who helped to organise and fold and pack away the memories once I was done?”
Adam is a Special Forces soldier, also a trained medic, but we don’t see or hear much of his day-to-day. As they court, they spend their time on picnics and daydreaming about a future back in ‘real life’ where they aren’t risking their lives at work. They plan a normal life.
They marry and move to Fort Carson, near Colorado Springs in the US West, where the locals think Emma sounds like royalty. This is not home to her, but she does her best to fit in. Much is made of her making friends, but all too soon, Adam is set to deploy to Iraq, leaving her as an army wife with nothing to do and no purpose. Her father was a doctor, always helping people, and she is exactly like him. She can’t just sit still, but Adam wants her there, safe, protected, not back in Iraq where she knows she's needed.
The second part of the book is Deployment. He’s away, she’s in her new home – alone.
“People understand the difficult parts of war, or rather, they know that the bad bits must be beyond what they could ever imagine. But it is the good bits that confuse them. The reasons that we love it. That we miss it. That we keep going back. It is in the wistful looks of men and women who say ‘F**k, those days were awful, but damn they were the best.’ That is harder to explain. It is this feeling that bonds those of us who have been there and makes us different from those who have not.”
Emma understands Iraq, the culture, the people, and she speaks some Arabic. The American army wives don’t want to know about Iraq and are suspicious of refugees, some of whom live in Colorado Springs and to whom Emma naturally gravitates. People from Iraq are killing our soldiers, say the women. Emma feels more foreign than ever.
“It is safer to listen rather than talk with Penny. I do not talk about Iraq with her. I do not talk about the Iraqis I helped move to the States. To her, foreigners are a different species and she does not deal well with things she doesn’t understand. Iraq is a part of me that I switch off when I am with her.”
The third part of the book is Post-deployment, and I found it compelling reading. It’s not the individual characters I cared about so much as the circumstances. It is frightening to think what has been happening to generations of soldiers, probably since Vietnam. People come and go and come back and go back. Can’t live there, can’t stay put.
I have a hard time rating this one. Some parts feel a bit awkward and contrived, but others are well-written and excellent and feel very real. And it certainly asks the question, as with the escaping Iraqis who are trying to live with their buried memories, who will help the returned soldiers with theirs?
Thanks to NetGalley and Legend Press for the review copy from which I've quoted. It was shortlisted for the 2018 Costa First Novel Award.
January 6, 2019
I immensely enjoyed the character-driving story of two people - an American soldier and a British refugee worker - caught up in wartorn Iraq. Would be fabulous if this book won the Costa awared for first novel.
January 12, 2019
When the Costa Book Awards shortlists were announced recently I was surprised to discover I hadn’t read any of the books listed for the first novel category. So I quickly sought to rectify that and picked up “Pieces of Me” by Natalie Hart without knowing anything about it (which is the most delightful way to approach books sometimes.) It’s an engrossing story of a British civilian named Emma who works in Iraq where she meets an American military man named Adam who she marries. Emma’s dual narrative alternately describes the formation of their relationship in this high-pressured foreign environment and their subsequent time living in Colorado dealing with the many-sided repercussions of war. Hart describes with great power the psychological trauma of war and the complicated grief of losing people in combat. She also dynamically explores how this can lead some people to hastily and tragically stigmatize people from different nationalities and religions. Overall, the story explores Emma’s struggle to overcome her sense of dislocation and understand how examining the many parts of her experiences can help her determine the best way forward. I got fully caught up in the heartrending dilemmas of this novel – especially as it reached its thrilling and surprising conclusion.
Read my full review of Pieces of Me by Natalie Hart on LonesomeReader
Read my full review of Pieces of Me by Natalie Hart on LonesomeReader
June 11, 2019
2.5 stars - almost a 3. I almost was interested in the characters. I almost wanted to understand the title. I almost stopped reading it. This book relies almost entirely on dialogue which makes it an easy and fast read. The whole story felt superficial and predictable. At no time was I engaged in contemplating the meaning of the story. The author explains everything for you leaving nothing to your imagination. It’s just not my kind of book. I had no emotional responses to the story even when the author tries to manipulate this outcome. The main female character practically wore a halo. Perhaps this could be read as a modern day cautionary tale - don’t fall in love in a war zone as a place like Colorado Springs can’t possibly offer the same emotional intensity to sustain your relationship. Boring.
December 11, 2018
If Natalie Hart's Pieces of Me, does not win any awards then I would be really upset.
From the first page I felt like I was living Emma's life.
Living in Iraq helping Iraqis gain asylum from their war torn home. Emma's aim in life was to help people, just as her father did when she was growing up. She never imagined she would fall in love and marry an American soldier.
Emma's love for Adam took her to Colorado to make a new life as a married couple. But war and conflict still continued and Adam is deployed back to Iraq. Tradegy strikes and Emma's life as she knows it is blown apart.
My heart aches after reading this book. It is an absolutely amazing book that I will never ever forget.
From the first page I felt like I was living Emma's life.
Living in Iraq helping Iraqis gain asylum from their war torn home. Emma's aim in life was to help people, just as her father did when she was growing up. She never imagined she would fall in love and marry an American soldier.
Emma's love for Adam took her to Colorado to make a new life as a married couple. But war and conflict still continued and Adam is deployed back to Iraq. Tradegy strikes and Emma's life as she knows it is blown apart.
My heart aches after reading this book. It is an absolutely amazing book that I will never ever forget.
October 15, 2018
Oooh. What an honest, hard hitting, heart-breaking and page turner of a story! The story is told through a couple who met in Iraq, Emma and Adam. The story is split into three parts before deployment, during deployment and after deployment! Set out beautifully for this story.
This story will drag you in and you can’t stop how much you will feel for both Emma and Adam throughout, you’re with them till the end, they become your friends! This is one powerful story that will stay close to your heart. It makes you believe in love again thanks to these two!
I enjoyed every page. I loved it! Four stars from me. Highly recommend.
This story will drag you in and you can’t stop how much you will feel for both Emma and Adam throughout, you’re with them till the end, they become your friends! This is one powerful story that will stay close to your heart. It makes you believe in love again thanks to these two!
I enjoyed every page. I loved it! Four stars from me. Highly recommend.
December 13, 2018
Goodness me, this was good! An accomplished and powerful debut novel about the impact of war on all those who are caught up in it, from those who serve, to those who wait behind, from those who choose to go to those who cannot avoid having their lives destroyed. Focussing on Emma and Adam, the first a civilian immigration officer in Iraq, and Adam, in the military, the novel is an insightful and compelling exploration of their relationship and how easily the strongest person can crumble when the pressure gets too much. The war in question here is Iraq, but the book’s universal themes make it relevant for any contemporary war. And let’s face it, we have plenty to choose from. Hart’s characters are multi-layered and complex and avoid stereotype. There are no false heroics here, no melodrama, just a nuanced portrayal and examination of the devastating effects of war.
May 22, 2022
Having just finished this book, I am in two minds as to how I feel about it. Until I reached the third section I was enthusiastic about it, bar some howlers when it came to use of language. I am surprised the editor missed those. In any case, the plot is extremely compelling, which made reading this novel a treat up to the third section, Post-deployment.
Although it is both believable and devastating to read about the consequences of PTSD, the outcome of the story felt too abrupt. It might have benefited from an extra fifty pages, developing the aftermath of the war and its effects on both protagonists more slowly. As it is, we are just submerged in a whirlpool of emotion with a rather sudden ending, which leaves one feeling frustrated and wondering what might have happened next.
Although it is both believable and devastating to read about the consequences of PTSD, the outcome of the story felt too abrupt. It might have benefited from an extra fifty pages, developing the aftermath of the war and its effects on both protagonists more slowly. As it is, we are just submerged in a whirlpool of emotion with a rather sudden ending, which leaves one feeling frustrated and wondering what might have happened next.
October 7, 2018
overall a heartbreaking read emma and adam. i found this book a little slow at the start but soon got into the story as i kept reading, heartbreaking of a married couple that will pull at you heartstrings, adam comes home from iraq to colarado to join emma then becomes under a lot of stress. its's a book that will bring tears to your eyes so full of emotions. i enjoyed it.
January 11, 2020
This love story is outstanding. It charts the deepening relationship between Emma and Adam who meet in war-torn Iraq where Adam is a medic and Emma has a job which includes interviewing Iraqis who are eligible to apply for US citizenship.
The novel is set in two time frames. In the past, Emma shows us her experience of living on a US compound in Baghdad where she meets the caring and brave Adam. In the present, Emma, who has lived most of her life in England, has married Adam and moved to his native Colorado, even though Adam is about to be deployed to Iraq all over again.
In Iraq, Emma keeps experiencing the blare of the alarm declaring the imminent impact of rockets, while later in Colorado, we feel her sense of loss and lack of purpose because her husband is now in a war zone and she has given up her job helping victims of war.
In Colorado, we see the divisions building between army folk and refugees. Soldiers and their wives - dog-tired of the war - make sweeping generalisations about the Iraqi refugees now living among them. Emma somehow manages to bridge the gulf between both sides, making friends with army wife, Kate - despite Kate's jingoistic feelings - as well as joining an art group comprised mainly of refugees, including the warm and giving Zainab who Emma soon becomes a mentor to.
Emma misses Adam desperately, but when he returns, he is battle worn and broken and Emma’s life in Colorado starts to come undone.
The writing in this book is beautifully understated and packs huge emotional power. Though it explores harrowing themes - post traumatic stress disorder and machismo, for example - it has something of a meditative quality about it. It examines racism, and without ever resorting to preaching, it shows that there is so much more that unites us than sets us apart, if only everyone could see this.
This is a story about love - between men, between men and women, and between families, but what rang out loudest for me was the power of female friendship. What a sublime novel - I wholeheartedly recommend it.
The novel is set in two time frames. In the past, Emma shows us her experience of living on a US compound in Baghdad where she meets the caring and brave Adam. In the present, Emma, who has lived most of her life in England, has married Adam and moved to his native Colorado, even though Adam is about to be deployed to Iraq all over again.
In Iraq, Emma keeps experiencing the blare of the alarm declaring the imminent impact of rockets, while later in Colorado, we feel her sense of loss and lack of purpose because her husband is now in a war zone and she has given up her job helping victims of war.
In Colorado, we see the divisions building between army folk and refugees. Soldiers and their wives - dog-tired of the war - make sweeping generalisations about the Iraqi refugees now living among them. Emma somehow manages to bridge the gulf between both sides, making friends with army wife, Kate - despite Kate's jingoistic feelings - as well as joining an art group comprised mainly of refugees, including the warm and giving Zainab who Emma soon becomes a mentor to.
Emma misses Adam desperately, but when he returns, he is battle worn and broken and Emma’s life in Colorado starts to come undone.
The writing in this book is beautifully understated and packs huge emotional power. Though it explores harrowing themes - post traumatic stress disorder and machismo, for example - it has something of a meditative quality about it. It examines racism, and without ever resorting to preaching, it shows that there is so much more that unites us than sets us apart, if only everyone could see this.
This is a story about love - between men, between men and women, and between families, but what rang out loudest for me was the power of female friendship. What a sublime novel - I wholeheartedly recommend it.
January 23, 2019
Had this on my shelves for a while and really wasn’t that fussed about reading it. I don’t usually go for modern war stories but I am sooo glad that I picked this book up. I read it in one sitting and didn’t want to put it down. The writing was just so engaging and easy, in the best possible way. I sped through it. The characters all felt incredibly realistic and it felt so cinematic when reading. So much so that it felt like a memoir instead of a work of fiction. I think this would make a fantastic TV adaptation.
This book definitely has my vote for the Costa book awards. Keeping my fingers crossed!! Feel like this book will stay with me for a long long time!
This book definitely has my vote for the Costa book awards. Keeping my fingers crossed!! Feel like this book will stay with me for a long long time!
February 1, 2020
I can’t express how beautifully written this book was, at times it was like poetry.
November 12, 2022
Really eye opening insight into military personnel who have experienced war zones and the impact it has on those back home, both during and post deployment.
May 7, 2020
I came across this book coincidentally, and what a coincidence, I absolutely love it, the way it's written, in parallel world I'm the best friend of the main character Emma, the way she is so vulnerable, loving, caring and so supportive is just incredible.
This book really explains how war is so brutal, how it turns apart families, how it makes them suffer to find new roots, new beginning and eventually to find themselves again, some succeed and others can't heal ❤
This book really explains how war is so brutal, how it turns apart families, how it makes them suffer to find new roots, new beginning and eventually to find themselves again, some succeed and others can't heal ❤
December 30, 2018
Pieces of Me is a novel told in 3 separate parts: pre-deployment, during deployment and past-deployment, told through Emma’s POV.
I enjoyed this poignant novel as a whole but the first part is definitely my favorite because it’s the most happy and romantic part of the novel. It’s here that Emma works (as a civilian) in the International Zone (or IZ) where she spends her days helping people with their visa applications and meets Adam. I not only loved reading how they met but I felt I was invited to a very interesting sneak peek behind the scenes of camp life in a war zone. As an outsider you never really know what goes on at a base camp and how you should imagine their daily life. Reading this made me feel as if I was momentarily there too. This author must have true knowledge because it was written so naturally, it certainly felt as a slice of true life. People have quite normal lives and just like everybody, they do things outside of work too. Emma also goes to the bar, follows yoga lessons and spends her Friday afternoons at the pool with the friend she made (not only to Emma, this felt contradictory to me too that you could simply sit around a pool in a war zone). The war is never really far away though, sometimes there are bomb threats and is the danger close by. It was touching, hard and sad to read how the war can tear that little bubble apart in an instant.
In the second part of the novel Adam leaves for another mission and Emma stays at home. Adapting to a normal life clearly isn’t easy. Emma admits that there’s a longing to be there, to go on an adventure too, that is difficult to admit. She stays behind and is trying to find a purpose. She placed me in her shoes effortlessly and I could feel her loneliness, how she doesn’t belong nor here nor there and how she misses her husband. When he finally comes back in the third part something has changed though, he’s maybe even further away from her then when he was really overseas. The novel shows how grief and PTSD can cause a wedge between the tightest of couples. I felt an overwhelming sadness for Adam and Emma and what the war did to them, and I wished nothing more than that they would find each other again.
This was a great and interesting novel. The only remark I want to make is that I expected the ‘pieces of glass’ that Emma collects over time (hence the wonderful cover) and which I thought was a wonderful and clever idea in the book would play a bigger part in the end and that they would form a pinnacle, a closure of sorts, an acceptance and gratefulness for every important moment she had. I don’t feel this received the attention it deserved or that I really saw what they became in the end.
Pieces of Me is a touching novel about the impact of a deployment on a couple. They go through a myriad of emotions and were able to touch me too. A story that needs to be told and read!
I enjoyed this poignant novel as a whole but the first part is definitely my favorite because it’s the most happy and romantic part of the novel. It’s here that Emma works (as a civilian) in the International Zone (or IZ) where she spends her days helping people with their visa applications and meets Adam. I not only loved reading how they met but I felt I was invited to a very interesting sneak peek behind the scenes of camp life in a war zone. As an outsider you never really know what goes on at a base camp and how you should imagine their daily life. Reading this made me feel as if I was momentarily there too. This author must have true knowledge because it was written so naturally, it certainly felt as a slice of true life. People have quite normal lives and just like everybody, they do things outside of work too. Emma also goes to the bar, follows yoga lessons and spends her Friday afternoons at the pool with the friend she made (not only to Emma, this felt contradictory to me too that you could simply sit around a pool in a war zone). The war is never really far away though, sometimes there are bomb threats and is the danger close by. It was touching, hard and sad to read how the war can tear that little bubble apart in an instant.
In the second part of the novel Adam leaves for another mission and Emma stays at home. Adapting to a normal life clearly isn’t easy. Emma admits that there’s a longing to be there, to go on an adventure too, that is difficult to admit. She stays behind and is trying to find a purpose. She placed me in her shoes effortlessly and I could feel her loneliness, how she doesn’t belong nor here nor there and how she misses her husband. When he finally comes back in the third part something has changed though, he’s maybe even further away from her then when he was really overseas. The novel shows how grief and PTSD can cause a wedge between the tightest of couples. I felt an overwhelming sadness for Adam and Emma and what the war did to them, and I wished nothing more than that they would find each other again.
This was a great and interesting novel. The only remark I want to make is that I expected the ‘pieces of glass’ that Emma collects over time (hence the wonderful cover) and which I thought was a wonderful and clever idea in the book would play a bigger part in the end and that they would form a pinnacle, a closure of sorts, an acceptance and gratefulness for every important moment she had. I don’t feel this received the attention it deserved or that I really saw what they became in the end.
Pieces of Me is a touching novel about the impact of a deployment on a couple. They go through a myriad of emotions and were able to touch me too. A story that needs to be told and read!
June 3, 2020
If you haven’t read this book, do it now. An absolutely beautiful but heart-breaking debut novel. I picked this up randomly in Waterstones and I’m so glad I did, it’s one of the best things I’ve read this year and I don’t know why I haven’t come across it sooner.
Pieces of Me introduces us to its protagonists Emma and Adam, as the latter prepares for deployment in Iraq. For many of us, Iraq is a place we associate with war, but for Emma it holds a lot of special memories, not only the place she worked, but also as the place she fell in love. Told in three parts: pre-deployment, deployment and post-deployment, Hart takes us on journey of love and loss, opening our eyes to how the conflict of war impacts on the lives of those involved.
What is perhaps most beautiful about this tale is the way in which Hart pieces together the experiences of different people affected by the war regardless of whether they’re British, American or Iraqi. The author also captures an Iraq that is so different to the portrayal we’re shown by the media; it’s one of light, love and happiness and it truly opened my eyes to the complex nature of war.
There is an underlying message of strength and community running through this book, particularly on the part of the women which makes it even more compelling. I fell in love with Emma and the style of writing made me feel as if I knew her.
This book will stay with me forever and it’s definitely one I would read again and again. Rumour is, Natalie is writing her second novel and I cannot wait!
Pieces of Me introduces us to its protagonists Emma and Adam, as the latter prepares for deployment in Iraq. For many of us, Iraq is a place we associate with war, but for Emma it holds a lot of special memories, not only the place she worked, but also as the place she fell in love. Told in three parts: pre-deployment, deployment and post-deployment, Hart takes us on journey of love and loss, opening our eyes to how the conflict of war impacts on the lives of those involved.
What is perhaps most beautiful about this tale is the way in which Hart pieces together the experiences of different people affected by the war regardless of whether they’re British, American or Iraqi. The author also captures an Iraq that is so different to the portrayal we’re shown by the media; it’s one of light, love and happiness and it truly opened my eyes to the complex nature of war.
There is an underlying message of strength and community running through this book, particularly on the part of the women which makes it even more compelling. I fell in love with Emma and the style of writing made me feel as if I knew her.
This book will stay with me forever and it’s definitely one I would read again and again. Rumour is, Natalie is writing her second novel and I cannot wait!
April 8, 2019
I found Emma, the main character, to be a little too perfect and patronising. Even though on many occasions I agreed with her sentiment, her narrative was cringeworthy.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 19, 2019
Synopsis: After leaving her English roots behind, Emma spent a few years living and working in Iraq. She loved it and she didn’t. It was where she went to make a difference, but she wasn’t expecting to fall in love. Now she’s an army wife living in the US and desperately trying to find a space for her to belong. But when her husband Adam is deployed again, Emma needs to navigate the pieces of who she is, and wonders if they were ever meant to fit together in the first place.
When you’re an emotional wreck at the end of a novel, you know the writer must be good at their job. This is a powerful character-driven narrative, written with overwhelming beauty and authenticity.
The depth of insight we gain into Emma’s character is beautiful. She feels like a friend, to the point where her difficulties feel vividly real and personal. Hart did a phenomenal job of adding layers to her character and it was a pleasure to experience Emma’s first-person narrative throughout the novel.
I’m in love with this book on so many levels. The journey of self-discovery Emma embarks on feels startlingly real and poignant. She is relatable and as a reader I felt invested in the ups and downs of her experience. The difficulties she faces before, during and after Adams deployment, shine a light on the ripple effects caused by war. Watching their relationship dynamic shift throughout the whole process was heart-breaking, but reflective of the real struggles the families of those serving in the military face. Emma wrestles with the various aspects of her identity as she tries to understand who she is and what she needs to be happy. I think this challenge is something everyone can relate to on some level. Emma’s circumstances are unusual, but she’s easy to empathise with and you want her to find the warm safe feeling of ‘belonging’ associated with home.
I also found it really lovely to read Hart’s poetic exploration of life in Iraq. Her lyrical descriptions make me nostalgic for a place I have never been to and show a side of Middle Eastern culture that is too often glazed over. She paints it as beautiful, and something our protagonist yearns for dearly. Though there were times Emma held her tongue in the presence of people who didn’t understand, she re-evaluates her relationship with silence throughout the novel, and as time goes on gains more confidence in defending the culture she loves. It’s a genuine pleasure to follow her on that journey.
The only niggling little complaint I’d be able to make about this novel is regarding the transitions between the different scenes. Though I appreciate the non-linear structure that goes backwards and forwards in time (as well as between two different places), I would occasionally be a couple of pages into a new section before realising that the characters were no longer in the US but Iraq, and vice versa. I found myself pausing between chapters to try and reorient myself with my surroundings, and sometimes felt a little lost. Some clearer indicators for whenever the story switched to a new time or place would have solved this problem, but I wouldn’t say it took much away from the whole experience. I also enjoyed the fragmented nature of the structure, as I felt it was reflective of Emma’s experience and how all the different experiences that made her who she was were slotted together.
This is the kind of novel I feel truly grateful to have experienced and applaud Natalie Hart for sharing such a meaningful story with the world. I would absolutely recommend this book to anyone who is interested in stories of self-discovery, loss, healing, conflict, and the tragedies that come with war.
Thank you Legend Press and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
If you're interested in similar reviews, check out my book blog at: https://ingridsbookclub.home.blog/
When you’re an emotional wreck at the end of a novel, you know the writer must be good at their job. This is a powerful character-driven narrative, written with overwhelming beauty and authenticity.
The depth of insight we gain into Emma’s character is beautiful. She feels like a friend, to the point where her difficulties feel vividly real and personal. Hart did a phenomenal job of adding layers to her character and it was a pleasure to experience Emma’s first-person narrative throughout the novel.
I’m in love with this book on so many levels. The journey of self-discovery Emma embarks on feels startlingly real and poignant. She is relatable and as a reader I felt invested in the ups and downs of her experience. The difficulties she faces before, during and after Adams deployment, shine a light on the ripple effects caused by war. Watching their relationship dynamic shift throughout the whole process was heart-breaking, but reflective of the real struggles the families of those serving in the military face. Emma wrestles with the various aspects of her identity as she tries to understand who she is and what she needs to be happy. I think this challenge is something everyone can relate to on some level. Emma’s circumstances are unusual, but she’s easy to empathise with and you want her to find the warm safe feeling of ‘belonging’ associated with home.
I also found it really lovely to read Hart’s poetic exploration of life in Iraq. Her lyrical descriptions make me nostalgic for a place I have never been to and show a side of Middle Eastern culture that is too often glazed over. She paints it as beautiful, and something our protagonist yearns for dearly. Though there were times Emma held her tongue in the presence of people who didn’t understand, she re-evaluates her relationship with silence throughout the novel, and as time goes on gains more confidence in defending the culture she loves. It’s a genuine pleasure to follow her on that journey.
The only niggling little complaint I’d be able to make about this novel is regarding the transitions between the different scenes. Though I appreciate the non-linear structure that goes backwards and forwards in time (as well as between two different places), I would occasionally be a couple of pages into a new section before realising that the characters were no longer in the US but Iraq, and vice versa. I found myself pausing between chapters to try and reorient myself with my surroundings, and sometimes felt a little lost. Some clearer indicators for whenever the story switched to a new time or place would have solved this problem, but I wouldn’t say it took much away from the whole experience. I also enjoyed the fragmented nature of the structure, as I felt it was reflective of Emma’s experience and how all the different experiences that made her who she was were slotted together.
This is the kind of novel I feel truly grateful to have experienced and applaud Natalie Hart for sharing such a meaningful story with the world. I would absolutely recommend this book to anyone who is interested in stories of self-discovery, loss, healing, conflict, and the tragedies that come with war.
Thank you Legend Press and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
If you're interested in similar reviews, check out my book blog at: https://ingridsbookclub.home.blog/
October 25, 2018
Pieces of Me is an unusual and very moving story. Emma is a civilian, working in Iraq helping Iraqis to obtain visas to enable them to go to the USA, when she meets Adam, a Special Forces soldier. They embark upon a relationship and eventually Emma leaves Iraq and moves to Colorado, where the forces live during post-deployment. Adam is deployed again and Emma is left behind, not knowing whether she can ever belong in this new life. When Adam then returns home, he is a different man, his experiences having changed him, possibly forever.
This is a very potted version of what is actually a multi-layered and complex story. It's told in three sections: Pre-Deployment, Deployment and Post-Deployment. The first covers Emma's time in Iraq. She loves her role there, despite being in the middle of a war zone, but she's also dealing with fragments of her past that won't let her go. I really enjoyed this section as I felt that somehow Emma was most herself during this time in Iraq. The second and third sections are difficult to read in different ways. Living through deployment is incredibly hard for both Emma and Adam, but she hadn't prepared herself for the fact that post-deployment might in fact be even harder.
The writing is beautiful, raw and pared back, and also almost poetic at times. As Adam's deployment draws near and Emma has to contemplate months not only without him, but of not knowing if he will return safely, she thinks:
"The deployment date sits between us like a giant hourglass, our moments slipping through its sweeping glass curves. We navigate our way around it to reach each other."
The title of this book is clever. Emma collects fragments of stone, glass and rock, and remembers where she picked each one up and what the place or time meant to her. Each piece is a part of her, and perhaps only by putting all the pieces together can she make herself whole.
Pieces of Me is a love story, a war story, a story of feeling like you don't belong, a story of loss. The detail in this novel is immense and absolutely fascinating. I could tell it was written, not by someone who had done a huge amount of research, but by someone who had experienced the place and the emotions firsthand. Natalie Hart writes with such empathy, such feeling, that I read many of the pages with a lump in my throat, not to mention the tears in my eyes as I read the final chapter.
It's a triumph of a novel. The backdrop of the Iraq war made for compelling reading and, to be honest, Emma and Adam's story nearly broke me. It's just so heartfelt and devastating. It's quite beautiful.
This is a very potted version of what is actually a multi-layered and complex story. It's told in three sections: Pre-Deployment, Deployment and Post-Deployment. The first covers Emma's time in Iraq. She loves her role there, despite being in the middle of a war zone, but she's also dealing with fragments of her past that won't let her go. I really enjoyed this section as I felt that somehow Emma was most herself during this time in Iraq. The second and third sections are difficult to read in different ways. Living through deployment is incredibly hard for both Emma and Adam, but she hadn't prepared herself for the fact that post-deployment might in fact be even harder.
The writing is beautiful, raw and pared back, and also almost poetic at times. As Adam's deployment draws near and Emma has to contemplate months not only without him, but of not knowing if he will return safely, she thinks:
"The deployment date sits between us like a giant hourglass, our moments slipping through its sweeping glass curves. We navigate our way around it to reach each other."
The title of this book is clever. Emma collects fragments of stone, glass and rock, and remembers where she picked each one up and what the place or time meant to her. Each piece is a part of her, and perhaps only by putting all the pieces together can she make herself whole.
Pieces of Me is a love story, a war story, a story of feeling like you don't belong, a story of loss. The detail in this novel is immense and absolutely fascinating. I could tell it was written, not by someone who had done a huge amount of research, but by someone who had experienced the place and the emotions firsthand. Natalie Hart writes with such empathy, such feeling, that I read many of the pages with a lump in my throat, not to mention the tears in my eyes as I read the final chapter.
It's a triumph of a novel. The backdrop of the Iraq war made for compelling reading and, to be honest, Emma and Adam's story nearly broke me. It's just so heartfelt and devastating. It's quite beautiful.
June 13, 2025
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, so much I effectively read it in one sitting.
The initial dual time line allowed the reader to see both how the relationship between the main characters developed as well as recognising some crucial points that altered their own personalities. In part 1 of the novel, pre deployment, it focused primarily on their times in Iraq, showing how despite working for the slightly questionable American agenda, they ultimately had good ethical values and resonated with the Iraqi citizens. This book being split into 3 parts definitely brought with it a sense of impending doom and, given the war theme, I thought I knew what was coming.
Part 2 accurately, I imagine, and elaborately explains the feelings of isolation not just from your partner but from your home as Emma struggled to find herself in a city where she knew no-one. She struggled to identify with the other army wives and locals due to their racist views and found solace in a refugee group.
Part 3, however, was not what I imagined it to be but in many ways was more heartbreaking. The writing and the plot all came together and evoked such extreme sympathy I was crying most of the way through. The end wasn't what I initially envisioned but I think it was exactly what was needed.
Overall, this book was brilliant, I would give it 5 stars, however, I do feel the Iraqi war could have been delved into a bit deeper, the reason for the war wasn't discussed and whilst I do know this already, I feel it would have helped the plot line for those who didn't. Whilst I thoroughly enjoyed the book and the easy writing style, I do feel there were points that could have been elaborated on better with a wider vocabulary.
Would I recommend this book? Absolutely.
The initial dual time line allowed the reader to see both how the relationship between the main characters developed as well as recognising some crucial points that altered their own personalities. In part 1 of the novel, pre deployment, it focused primarily on their times in Iraq, showing how despite working for the slightly questionable American agenda, they ultimately had good ethical values and resonated with the Iraqi citizens. This book being split into 3 parts definitely brought with it a sense of impending doom and, given the war theme, I thought I knew what was coming.
Part 2 accurately, I imagine, and elaborately explains the feelings of isolation not just from your partner but from your home as Emma struggled to find herself in a city where she knew no-one. She struggled to identify with the other army wives and locals due to their racist views and found solace in a refugee group.
Part 3, however, was not what I imagined it to be but in many ways was more heartbreaking. The writing and the plot all came together and evoked such extreme sympathy I was crying most of the way through. The end wasn't what I initially envisioned but I think it was exactly what was needed.
Overall, this book was brilliant, I would give it 5 stars, however, I do feel the Iraqi war could have been delved into a bit deeper, the reason for the war wasn't discussed and whilst I do know this already, I feel it would have helped the plot line for those who didn't. Whilst I thoroughly enjoyed the book and the easy writing style, I do feel there were points that could have been elaborated on better with a wider vocabulary.
Would I recommend this book? Absolutely.
October 8, 2018
Pieces of Me comes together to form the perfect book. It is riveting, heart-breaking, page-turning, honest and utterly authentic – it is a fabulous read. I absolutely loved it and was torn in two wanting to finish it in one go and at the same time save the next bit for later.
At first I wondered whether it was because I had lived in the Middle East and the US (although happily not in a war environment) and was enjoying the memories evoked by her descriptions. But it wasn’t just that – it was all about the story.
And the story centres around Emma, an English woman interviewing Iraqis applying for immigration visas to the United States. War tears people to pieces in all sorts of ways, physically and mentally, and Emma finds herself living a jigsaw of a life trying to keep everything together – her relationship with Adam, with her Iraqi friends, with her American friends and with her own family. But she has to keep herself together too.
The book raises all sorts of issues around racism, Islamophobia, the role of women, the politics of war – and that’s what makes it an important novel. But for me, the joy of Pieces of Me is how I was living and breathing all of Emma’s emotions. She is such a credible character that I turned every page dying to know what she was going to do next.
Thank you Natalie Hart for writing such a fabulous book, and to Legend Press for sending me the kindle version in exchange for an honest review. I’m buying the hard copy today!
At first I wondered whether it was because I had lived in the Middle East and the US (although happily not in a war environment) and was enjoying the memories evoked by her descriptions. But it wasn’t just that – it was all about the story.
And the story centres around Emma, an English woman interviewing Iraqis applying for immigration visas to the United States. War tears people to pieces in all sorts of ways, physically and mentally, and Emma finds herself living a jigsaw of a life trying to keep everything together – her relationship with Adam, with her Iraqi friends, with her American friends and with her own family. But she has to keep herself together too.
The book raises all sorts of issues around racism, Islamophobia, the role of women, the politics of war – and that’s what makes it an important novel. But for me, the joy of Pieces of Me is how I was living and breathing all of Emma’s emotions. She is such a credible character that I turned every page dying to know what she was going to do next.
Thank you Natalie Hart for writing such a fabulous book, and to Legend Press for sending me the kindle version in exchange for an honest review. I’m buying the hard copy today!
July 28, 2021
This was a beautifully written book. It was a slower pace than I would normally read as I mostly read fantasy but nevertheless it was an easy read. The characters all had distinct personalities and all had their own flaws and ways in which they could improve. I liked how the story jumped around a bit to reflect the main characters PTSD triggers and memories of Iraq. Having never experienced war myself I am at no liberty to say if it was an accurate description but it didn’t feel too forced or anything.
However, I would say that the main character was painted under a golden light and that Natalie Hart made it seem as if she could do no wrong. Some of her actions felt as though they didn’t have significant enough consequences. I also feel as though her relationship with Adam after he came back could have done with more detail out into it about BOTH of their feelings. For example, different perspective chapters.
However, I would say that the main character was painted under a golden light and that Natalie Hart made it seem as if she could do no wrong. Some of her actions felt as though they didn’t have significant enough consequences. I also feel as though her relationship with Adam after he came back could have done with more detail out into it about BOTH of their feelings. For example, different perspective chapters.
December 14, 2018
Love, loss, and explorations in between. This Costa Prize Shortlisted debut traces the story of Emma and Andy. They meet in Iraq while Brit Emma processes asylum paperwork and American Andy serves with US Army special forces. Told in a suspenseful first-person narrative, the author excavates details of life and emotions during and after deployment This contemporary novel is a love story with vivid, lyrical explorations of character and setting (Baghdad, Colorado Springs). Will appeal to fans of Siobhan Fallon (The Confusion of Languages) or any readers interested in the complicated lives of wives/girlfriends while men are engaged in combat. Subplots include refugees, art therapy, finding purpose, defining "home". A nuanced and realistic portrayal of a couple in crisis, navigating trauma and complicated choices.
October 2, 2019
I don't know how to classify this book. It's a military love story and a fictional psychological thriller. However, it's mainly a story of people dealing with life under the most trying of times.
I felt the first few chapters were a bit slow to engage my interest. Then, boom, I couldn't put it down.
The characters came to life, as I learned of their struggles. The settings, whether in Iraq or Colorado, were vividly displayed. I could feel the heat, the fear, the panic, and more as the storyline developed.
I recommend Pieces of Me to all readers. However, I am sure there are triggers for those affected by the war.
The author writes in British English, so please keep that in mind. Phrasing & spelling is not the same around the world.
I had the privilege of participating in a blog tour for Pieces of Me. This review is my honest opinion.
I felt the first few chapters were a bit slow to engage my interest. Then, boom, I couldn't put it down.
The characters came to life, as I learned of their struggles. The settings, whether in Iraq or Colorado, were vividly displayed. I could feel the heat, the fear, the panic, and more as the storyline developed.
I recommend Pieces of Me to all readers. However, I am sure there are triggers for those affected by the war.
The author writes in British English, so please keep that in mind. Phrasing & spelling is not the same around the world.
I had the privilege of participating in a blog tour for Pieces of Me. This review is my honest opinion.
October 24, 2018
While I felt sorry for Emma, I found it hard to really empathise with Adam, who seemed totally selfish. I appreciate how hard it must be in the armed forces, especially when this kind of tragic event happens, but Adam refused all offers of help, both professionally and personally. I would have preferred to see a few chapters offering a narrative voice to Adam from time to time, to get the insider's view on how he was feeling, to help continue to connect with him and see him in a positive light. However, I suspect that this is a fairly honest and realistic account of how military families get on, and this really made me think.
full review on my blog : https://madhousefamilyreviews.blogspo...
full review on my blog : https://madhousefamilyreviews.blogspo...
October 7, 2018
When Emma accepts a job in Baghdad interviewing Iraqis seeking special immigration visas to the US, she isn’t looking for a husband. She isn’t looking for any kind of relationship with any of the military personnel she encounters in the International Zone. Like her doctor father, who died when she was fifteen, she wants to help people. It stops her having to consider whether she needs help herself.
Full review
Women who found husbands in a war zone: The Underneath & Pieces of Me https://annegoodwin.weebly.com/1/post...
Full review
Women who found husbands in a war zone: The Underneath & Pieces of Me https://annegoodwin.weebly.com/1/post...
June 8, 2019
As I write this, I’m a sobbing mess. Natalie Hart has a unique gift of putting you in the situation that many of our families who have someone who is serving or served in the recent conflicts. It leaves you raw and hurting and it isn’t even your story. It allows you to see inside walls that usually are usually kept dark. It also shows an amazing strength of a woman who is breaking into pieces, yet manages to find herself among them. As well, the way the main character sees people, all people, is a gift that not many people have - the world would be a different place if we applied many of her perspectives to others.
September 23, 2019
An immersive, painfully real look into the relationship of two people caught up during wartime, showing the intricacy of how relationships form and mould during, and especially after war.
Intricate, wonderfully lovable characters and such a viscerally painted setting that gets you caught up in the story.
It’s a beautiful story about romance and friendship, but in the same page it’s also heart wrenching story about the very serious issues surrounding war, refugees, mental health issues and death.
The ending was both everything I wanted and everything I hated at once, but again, just so very real.
Intricate, wonderfully lovable characters and such a viscerally painted setting that gets you caught up in the story.
It’s a beautiful story about romance and friendship, but in the same page it’s also heart wrenching story about the very serious issues surrounding war, refugees, mental health issues and death.
The ending was both everything I wanted and everything I hated at once, but again, just so very real.
January 10, 2019
A compulsive read set during the Iraq conflict. A mix of the nature of war, trauma and how it defines the life of those involved, refugees and the fragility of love in these circumstances. Home, loss, friendship are the cornerstones of the novel - handled well although some parts of the plotting seemed unnecessarily contrived to me. The writing is, at times so raw as to be painful as it is told entirely from Emma's (the protagonist) point of view
I liked that the ending didn't tie things up neatly, an ever-present conflict as the background to life makes life messy.
I liked that the ending didn't tie things up neatly, an ever-present conflict as the background to life makes life messy.
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