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The Passing Tribute
In the tumultuous aftermath of the First World War the Wilson brothers head in opposite directions: Richard, interned in Austria throughout the conflict, returns to England; Edward, a junior officer, is dispatched from Italy to Vienna as part of the British Army’s relief mission.
For Edward, it will be a return to the city and to love. But it will not be the same city: Vienna is no longer the administrative heart of an Empire, merely a provincial capital ravaged by starvation, and paralysed by the winter snows. Will it be the same love?
In London, Richard is employed in the ministerial heart of government, and soon dazzled by the Under Secretary’s vision for a new, federal Europe. But for the new to exist the old must be replaced; and the Habsburg Emperor, on his estate near the Czech border, revolution all around, refuses to go. One man is sent to make sure that he does.
With the brothers estranged by distance and time, their lives become unknowingly entwined in a shadowy plot – and it seems the end of the war is only the beginning of their struggle.
292 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 7, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
May 20, 2019
Hope Wanes
Lieutenant Edward Wilson leads his section against an Austrian fort high in the snowbound Alps in the closing days of WW1. The danger of imminent death and sudden violence combine to make this an effective opening to a thoughtful and well written thriller. After the armistice Wilson finds himself in Vienna, responsible for organising food and supplies to a starving population, ignored by more senior British officers, criticised by magistrates of the new Austrian republic.
But Wilson has history in Vienna. A student there before the war, he has left behind political and romantic footprints. Commandeered by a rogue British officer, he finds himself involved in a plot to restore the Habsburg emperor, now exiled on a private estate.
I enjoyed this novel for the most part, despite what seems to be a rushed and unsatisfactory ending. What I did not realise until near the end is that A Passing Tribute is a belated sequel to a long novel published by the author some years ago. While it can be read in its own right, I suspect it would make more sense and pack a much bigger emotional punch had the earlier novel been read beforehand.
Lieutenant Edward Wilson leads his section against an Austrian fort high in the snowbound Alps in the closing days of WW1. The danger of imminent death and sudden violence combine to make this an effective opening to a thoughtful and well written thriller. After the armistice Wilson finds himself in Vienna, responsible for organising food and supplies to a starving population, ignored by more senior British officers, criticised by magistrates of the new Austrian republic.
But Wilson has history in Vienna. A student there before the war, he has left behind political and romantic footprints. Commandeered by a rogue British officer, he finds himself involved in a plot to restore the Habsburg emperor, now exiled on a private estate.
I enjoyed this novel for the most part, despite what seems to be a rushed and unsatisfactory ending. What I did not realise until near the end is that A Passing Tribute is a belated sequel to a long novel published by the author some years ago. While it can be read in its own right, I suspect it would make more sense and pack a much bigger emotional punch had the earlier novel been read beforehand.
April 23, 2019
Before you start reading this, I would get settled in a comfy chair and be prepared for a slow, thoughtful and unique read….it reminded me of Gabriel Garcia Marquez and George Saunders, Lincoln in the Bardo….in that is seems experimental in its language and plot and more about the feeling and emotions it raises.
It’s a beautifully written tale of two brothers, and their lives after the war, the rebuilding of lives and society and politics… it’s beautifully poetic at times and there is a little humour too.
It uses the language of the early 20th century at the time of WW1, so can take a little getting used to..
I feel this is the kind of book to linger over and enjoy the language, it will be perfect for book clubs everywhere as there is so much to discuss.
Thank you to Anne Cater and Random Things Tours for the opportunity to participate in this blog tour and for the promotional materials and a free copy of the ebook in exchange for my honest, unbiased review.
It’s a beautifully written tale of two brothers, and their lives after the war, the rebuilding of lives and society and politics… it’s beautifully poetic at times and there is a little humour too.
It uses the language of the early 20th century at the time of WW1, so can take a little getting used to..
I feel this is the kind of book to linger over and enjoy the language, it will be perfect for book clubs everywhere as there is so much to discuss.
Thank you to Anne Cater and Random Things Tours for the opportunity to participate in this blog tour and for the promotional materials and a free copy of the ebook in exchange for my honest, unbiased review.
March 15, 2019
1.5 Stars
I was intrigued by the concept expounded in the blurb for this book. Two brothers separated by the war but coming together after in ways they don't understand or even acknowledge. Sounded good. Unfortunately, if it wasn't for the blurb I would never have put together that Richard and Edward were related, to me they were just two men following orders in the aftermath of the First World War, the fact that they were both following orders relating to the Emperor of Austria and orchestrated by the same man, Colonel Linton, appeared to be the only connection.
Commencing before Armistice Day we first meet Edward who is on the Front Lines in a snow tortured world. We watch him bring his men through the final days and then get seconded to a relief mission in Austria. This leads him to meeting with a sparky nurse, Millie, who he co-opts to join the relief mission and you feel there may be a little hope for light relief from Millie for both the reader and for Edward. When we finally meet Richard we learn that his father (and consequently Edward's father) has died believing both his sons to be dead. That and Richard has been offered a position as Secretary in The Ministry of X. The former fact leads him to meeting Helene, a Belgian refugee, who is set to have a shattering impact on his life. The latter brings him in to the auspices of Colonel Linton and his plans for the Emperor of Austria, plans that also involve the Relief Mission.
Unfortunately, the story itself is obliterated by the language used in the telling. I have a pretty good vocabulary but such archaic words are utlised that it is an absolute must to have a dictionary to hand when reading; even then it may take two or three read throughs a sentence before you can parse a meaning to it that makes any sort of sense. The sentence structure is also confusing in places and the whole telling is needlessly verbose in places. This means that I was simply unable to sink in to the story, to get a true feel for the time and the place of Richard and Edward or even to really understand what was going on for large chunks of the book. All I did was read in an increasingly frustrated manner. It is particularly annoying because the structure of an intriguing story underlies the whole, unfortunately the academic tone of the book left this reader feeling somewhat patronised and disappointed that the investment of my time in this book smacked more of purgatory than anything else.
When you do finally reach the end, the climactic scenes with Friedrich and Edward should have left you breathless. Unfortunately, I could not summon up any enthusiasm for the circumstances they find themselves in - probably because there is no real foreshadowing of this denouement, just the odd vague reference to a cowled figure watching and waiting. Indeed, there is no real end to the book - we leave Edward in a predicament involving a gun and a greatcoat, the Emperor is still in Austria and Richard may be about to take a huge leap of faith. Nothing is wrapped up, all is left open ended and the book just stops.
I read for entertainment, this does not mean that I only read "fluff" (okay, I do read a LOT of fluff). What it does mean is that I know good story-telling when I come across it and this book reads more like a Victorian broadsheet newspaper than a novel. I'm not even sure the linguistics are contemporaneous to the late 1910s, they feel so much more archaic than even that and this book is all about the author smothering us in obscure words and turns of phrase. Not entertaining and marginally educational in that it will temporarily expand your vocabulary.
THIS IS AN HONEST AND UNBIASED REVIEW OF A FREE COPY OF THE BOOK RECEIVED VIA THE PIGEONHOLE.
I was intrigued by the concept expounded in the blurb for this book. Two brothers separated by the war but coming together after in ways they don't understand or even acknowledge. Sounded good. Unfortunately, if it wasn't for the blurb I would never have put together that Richard and Edward were related, to me they were just two men following orders in the aftermath of the First World War, the fact that they were both following orders relating to the Emperor of Austria and orchestrated by the same man, Colonel Linton, appeared to be the only connection.
Commencing before Armistice Day we first meet Edward who is on the Front Lines in a snow tortured world. We watch him bring his men through the final days and then get seconded to a relief mission in Austria. This leads him to meeting with a sparky nurse, Millie, who he co-opts to join the relief mission and you feel there may be a little hope for light relief from Millie for both the reader and for Edward. When we finally meet Richard we learn that his father (and consequently Edward's father) has died believing both his sons to be dead. That and Richard has been offered a position as Secretary in The Ministry of X. The former fact leads him to meeting Helene, a Belgian refugee, who is set to have a shattering impact on his life. The latter brings him in to the auspices of Colonel Linton and his plans for the Emperor of Austria, plans that also involve the Relief Mission.
Unfortunately, the story itself is obliterated by the language used in the telling. I have a pretty good vocabulary but such archaic words are utlised that it is an absolute must to have a dictionary to hand when reading; even then it may take two or three read throughs a sentence before you can parse a meaning to it that makes any sort of sense. The sentence structure is also confusing in places and the whole telling is needlessly verbose in places. This means that I was simply unable to sink in to the story, to get a true feel for the time and the place of Richard and Edward or even to really understand what was going on for large chunks of the book. All I did was read in an increasingly frustrated manner. It is particularly annoying because the structure of an intriguing story underlies the whole, unfortunately the academic tone of the book left this reader feeling somewhat patronised and disappointed that the investment of my time in this book smacked more of purgatory than anything else.
When you do finally reach the end, the climactic scenes with Friedrich and Edward should have left you breathless. Unfortunately, I could not summon up any enthusiasm for the circumstances they find themselves in - probably because there is no real foreshadowing of this denouement, just the odd vague reference to a cowled figure watching and waiting. Indeed, there is no real end to the book - we leave Edward in a predicament involving a gun and a greatcoat, the Emperor is still in Austria and Richard may be about to take a huge leap of faith. Nothing is wrapped up, all is left open ended and the book just stops.
I read for entertainment, this does not mean that I only read "fluff" (okay, I do read a LOT of fluff). What it does mean is that I know good story-telling when I come across it and this book reads more like a Victorian broadsheet newspaper than a novel. I'm not even sure the linguistics are contemporaneous to the late 1910s, they feel so much more archaic than even that and this book is all about the author smothering us in obscure words and turns of phrase. Not entertaining and marginally educational in that it will temporarily expand your vocabulary.
THIS IS AN HONEST AND UNBIASED REVIEW OF A FREE COPY OF THE BOOK RECEIVED VIA THE PIGEONHOLE.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 8, 2019
Yes, this is not a casual read. The author has experimented with the postmodern idea of avoiding 'the tyranny of plot’, comparing this to the work of Virginia Woolf. There are overarching themes and things that happened, but they are not linked together, this is to give a more naturalistic feel to the story. A series of impressions to give a feeling of what is happening. It particularly suits the settings of post war England and Vienna with the themes of desolation and rebuilding. It's an incredibly lyrical, poetic story which does use some words considered archaic or obscure, but I think it's justified. This is a story about two brothers, one living in England, the other in Vienna.
I thought the parts of the story set in Vienna worked better, particularly due to the character of Millie, who works as some light relief in what could have become rather a heavy story. In contrast, I found Richard's parts a bit more difficult due to his relationship with Helene who is enigmatic to the point that I didn't feel like I could get to grips with either her character or their relationship. I feel like I may have read it a bit too quickly and that maybe Pigeonhole didn't really work as a platform for it. This is the kind of book to savour the language, to re-read and to go back to previous parts to link it all together in your mind. It's not really a page turner, but can anybody really say that postmodern novels are? However, the fear of people giving poor reviews should never put an author off experimenting, else we would all still be reading the proto novels of people like Richardson and Defoe or confining ourselves to the same type of books time and time again.I hope that the poor reviews don't put people off reading it.
I thought the parts of the story set in Vienna worked better, particularly due to the character of Millie, who works as some light relief in what could have become rather a heavy story. In contrast, I found Richard's parts a bit more difficult due to his relationship with Helene who is enigmatic to the point that I didn't feel like I could get to grips with either her character or their relationship. I feel like I may have read it a bit too quickly and that maybe Pigeonhole didn't really work as a platform for it. This is the kind of book to savour the language, to re-read and to go back to previous parts to link it all together in your mind. It's not really a page turner, but can anybody really say that postmodern novels are? However, the fear of people giving poor reviews should never put an author off experimenting, else we would all still be reading the proto novels of people like Richardson and Defoe or confining ourselves to the same type of books time and time again.I hope that the poor reviews don't put people off reading it.
June 20, 2019
This is a tale of two brothers in the aftermath of World War I. One brother is in Vienna, which is struggling after the end of the Great War. The author's vivid depiction definitely demonstrates how Hitler could have been formed in such a crucible as post-war Austria plagued by starvation, inflation, and other trials. The other brother is in London, and his task to help bring about the better Europe envisioned by his higher-ups bring him and his brother together in a way that neither could have foreseen.
The author has chosen an interesting time in Europe's history to illuminate and show through the twin lenses of these brothers. This is not an easy read, for both the sometimes dense descriptions and what the story itself is actually about. Still, I found it a fascinating glimpse into the time between the two great wars of the last century.
The author has chosen an interesting time in Europe's history to illuminate and show through the twin lenses of these brothers. This is not an easy read, for both the sometimes dense descriptions and what the story itself is actually about. Still, I found it a fascinating glimpse into the time between the two great wars of the last century.
March 12, 2019
Beautifully scripted language, wonderful imagery that allow the reader to place the story directly into WWI and the after years. The start of the book is an unholy ravel of the effects of war, mentally and physically, where characters emerge tainted. I really enjoyed this storyline, it’s most unusual for a contemporary novel written in the style of language of England and Europe in the early part of the nineteenth century. Historically; the action is refreshing. I read along with other readers and the author Simon Marshall on the Pigeonhole app. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, some of the imagery lives with me.
March 10, 2019
This book was hard work for little return, to be honest. I like a challenging book, and there were parts of this that I did like (the female characters were independent in a time where they weren’t expected to be), but I felt like I was missing something: that I had missed reading an important part of the plot. I’m sure there’s someone out there who will enjoy this book and get something from it, but that person is just not me.
March 10, 2019
I have been reading this book via Pigeonhole and it was not a genre I would normally read; the period between the First and Second World Wars. I found the book hard to follow at times and it didn’t get any easier the more of the book I read. I enjoyed reading the parts of Milly, the nurse and found her an amiable likeable character.
I am sure other readers would enjoy the book, it was not a book I would read again.
I am sure other readers would enjoy the book, it was not a book I would read again.
March 11, 2019
This is not a genre I would normally read, however on the whole I enjoyed it and found the period historically interesting. The characters were well drawn and I found Millie especially entertaining.
My main criticism would be that at times it was a bit ‘wordy’ .Having said that, I am interested to read the prequel.
My main criticism would be that at times it was a bit ‘wordy’ .Having said that, I am interested to read the prequel.
March 4, 2019
Couldn’t get in to it!
March 10, 2019
A bizarre verbose tale, that sometimes made me laugh, but mostly left me puzzled and annoyed.
March 21, 2022
I was given a free copy of this book from Unbound and Netgalley for an honest, unbiased review.
I have to say this book was not for me. I usually love historical fiction. But this one just missed the mark.
I just felt like it tried way too hard. Sometimes books read like song lyrics, and I think this is what this book tried to do. But it didn’t manage it.
Also, the characters were so unrelatable, I had no emotional involvement with any of them. Although, the women in this book were the best thing about this book.
I’m sure they’ll be many people who enjoy this book. I just wasn’t one of them.
I have to say this book was not for me. I usually love historical fiction. But this one just missed the mark.
I just felt like it tried way too hard. Sometimes books read like song lyrics, and I think this is what this book tried to do. But it didn’t manage it.
Also, the characters were so unrelatable, I had no emotional involvement with any of them. Although, the women in this book were the best thing about this book.
I’m sure they’ll be many people who enjoy this book. I just wasn’t one of them.
April 1, 2019
Ohhhh, nooooo - so sorry NetGalley and the publishers, Unbound, but thanks for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review. The description sounded interesting. I started and got 28% of the way through before I simply gave up. Initially we were in the Alps with British soldiers and an awful lot of effing and blinding and not much else. Italians and Austrians were clearly in the picture somehow but other than that there was no indication of what was going on or when. After a few chapters of not much we moved to a hospital with one of the officers seemingly recovering from Spanish flue; ah ha, we're just after the First World War then. There was an exceedingly unlikely nurse, Milly and she, and the officer I think, had a few excursions into Vienna. Was it still setting the scene or what? I had had enough of complete bafflement by then that I said 'enough, life's too short for this and I'm heading out to dig some more of the kitchen garden'. The book cover gets it the one star.
April 22, 2019
I received an ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.
I really had a difficult time getting into this book. I appreciate the writing effort, but it was a bit verbose for me. I tried many times to try to get into the story, but felt like I couldn’t get behind any of the characters. Millie was the one character I felt investment in, and it was very little.
I think the book opening with the setting up for an invasion could’ve been interesting, but the dialogue was difficult to follow and didn’t grip me.
I really had a difficult time getting into this book. I appreciate the writing effort, but it was a bit verbose for me. I tried many times to try to get into the story, but felt like I couldn’t get behind any of the characters. Millie was the one character I felt investment in, and it was very little.
I think the book opening with the setting up for an invasion could’ve been interesting, but the dialogue was difficult to follow and didn’t grip me.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews