Mini-Review of "My Dear I Wanted to Tell You" by Louisa Young

The feel of this novel made me think of the Ingrid Bergman classic film "Intermezzo." Set in the midst of the turmoil of World War I, "My Dear I Wanted to Tell You." is a moving and evocative story of two couples whose lives intertwine in stunning ways. The working class lad, Riley Purfroy, meets and falls in love with Nadine Waveney, the aristocratic daughter of a world-class orchestra conductor. The obstacles that they must overcome to explore their unlikely love for one another frames a tale that moves the reader at many levels. Louisa Young writes knowingly of class struggle in early 20th Century Great Britain. This novel is not only a sensitively told love story, it is also a deep exploration of the manifold costs of war.