A stray mention of this title in a book about Van Morrison's Belfast sent me down a path to a probable new favorite writer. I knew of Brian Moore, but not by name. Meaning, Black Robe has always been a favorite film, but I never bothered to find out who had written the screenplay (and the book). Moore's Emperor is set in World War II Belfast and centers around the young Gavin Burke, a member of a first aid team who is a middling academic performer (but loves poetry) and can't get very far with his girlfriend. War has left Belfast unscathed as the novel opens, and many Catholics are in fact rooting for Hitler against the British. Moore excels in the use of gentle humor, irony, and sharp characterizations. A dramatic set-piece leads into a tremendously satisfying conclusion.
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