Review: The Splendid and the Vile

★★★★★

Erik Larson has done it again-- he's taken a well-known topic and put a totally new spin on it. Pulling from interviews, letters, and diary entries, Larson expertly crafts a riveting story with real dialogue and conversation, which offers a deep look inside the mentality of Churchill and his advisors. The novel was set as a series of vignettes, frequently bouncing back and forth between Churchill, Hitler, and the thoughts of the general population during the Blitz. Larson even included anecdotes of Churchill's late-night dinner parties, which I found highly entertaining and offered a fabulous view of Churchill's personality. I get Say Nothing (the Patrick Radden Keefe novel about the Troubles) vibes from this book, which I read last year and absolutely loved. Five stars for excellent dialogue, research, and entertainment value. 10/10 recommend.