Elizabeth Letts's sweeping seventh novel, Fallen for France, follows the fortunes of a magnificent Arabian horse and the people who care for her as World War I transforms the physical and political landscape of Europe and the Middle East.
Letts (The Ride of Her Life; Finding Dorothy) opens her narrative with Beddou, a shepherd boy who makes his way to Meknes, Morocco, to work for the sultan's saddle maker. As the boy gains new skills, he also learns to care for the sultan's horse, whom he names Tassa ("beloved"). But when the mare becomes a political pawn in the sultan's dangerous game of diplomacy, both boy and horse find themselves displaced. In rural France, Tassa (brought overseas by Beddou's former supervisor, Hassan, now serving in the colonial forces) catches the attention of a young woman named Estelle; Jean-Baptiste, a French deserter posing as a German soldier; and Thomas, an English veterinarian struggling to reckon with his past. The intertwined fates of all these characters form an intricate narrative that immerses readers in wartime life on both sides of the Mediterranean.
While Tassa the horse is certainly beautiful, Letts's skill shines in illuminating the inner lives of her human characters, who must fight to hold onto their better selves as war tests their resolve and courage. None of the characters, including Beddou, end up where they expect to, but Letts's novel highlights the gifts to be found in unplanned journeys, as well as the capacity of human beings to show compassion and dignity under fire. --Katie Noah Gibson, blogger at Cakes, Tea and Dreams