Review of "Honour" By: M.B Feeney

"Honour" By: M.B Feeney
Rating: ☆☆☆☆

'Honour' is a series of short stories that examine the very personal impact that war and being part of the armed forces has on those that serve and their families.  It is full of very poignant moments through the beautiful story telling by M.B Feeney. 

Each story takes a different perspective and deals with a different issue.  Desertion, the death of solider at home and not on the battlefield, the horrors that soldiers have to live with after the war is over, the loss of a loved one in battle and the safe return of a loved one.  The relationships that are affected are different in each story and so is the impact.  From brothers and sisters to mothers and fathers to sons and daughters to husbands and wives.  Each life touched in different ways. 

While I enjoyed reading all the stories, my favourite was 'Letters to No One'.  With the majority of this story told through letters from family, it is just so beautifully told and the final letter so poignant and sad.  The uncertainty that everybody has to live on a day to day basis with comes through, even though they don't actually say it.  The fact that life goes on and the impact this has on the family comes through strongly.  The utter devastation that the family must have felt through on the receipt of that final letter is felt by the reader through the empathy created by M.B Feeney. 

This is a real and a fitting tribute to the armed forces and the families that support these brave men and women.  Whilst those who serve in the armed forces for our country are true heroes so are the families that support them.  A beautiful read by an author who writes in a down to earth manner that draws you into the emotions of the stories.  These are everyday people's stories told with emotion, compassion and empathy.  It truly honours our armed forces and their families. 

Author Bio:

M. B. Feeney is an army brat who finally settled down in Birmingham, UK with her other half, two kids and a dog.  Currently at university studying for her BA (Hons) in primary teaching, she procrastinates on her assignments by listening to music of all genres and trying to get ‘just one more paragraph’ written on whichever WIP is open. She is also a serious doodler and chocoholic.  Writing has been her one true love ever since she could spell, and publishing is the final culmination of her hard work and ambition.

Her publishing career began with two novellas, and she currently has a novel under way whilst Honour, a compilation of her own military based shorts, is due for release 1^st November 2013. Always having something on the go can often lead to block which eventually gets dissolved by good music and an even better book.

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Summary:

The world is filled with people destined to help and to serve. Doctors, nurses, police, and firefighters—each and every day, these special people work to help others in times of need. Often, this means putting their own lives at risk in order to do their jobs. They give of themselves to benefit society, and they do it without any expectation of thanks.

And then there is the military…

These are the men and women who don’t head home to their families and safe homes to relax at the end of a shift. They are on the front lines, far from home and often fighting someone else’s battles because it is the right thing to do. Military families struggle to cope with the constant worry and the long periods of separation, staying strong to support those who serve in everything they do, and often are left to pick up the pieces when the highest price is paid.

Servicemen and women are heroes in the purest sense of the word. Even when the world’s gone mad and their hearts are breaking, one thing remains unchanged.

They have honour.

Excerpt:

All his life, his mother had been there for him, gently pushing him to do his very best and allowing him the opportunity to make his own decisions, even when they led him on a path she wouldn’t have chosen for him. When he’d told his parents at age sixteen that he wanted to enlist in the Army, they supported him. The one thing they asked of him was that he finished his education up to A-Levels before he enlisted. They did try to talk him into going to college for a couple of years also, but he insisted that he would get better qualifications and experience once he was a soldier. As agreed, on the day that he received his exam results, his dad drove him to the Army Careers Office to begin his journey.

“I’m so proud of you, son,” his mother whispered into his ear while clutching him in a tight embrace. “Never, ever forget that.”

“Thanks, Mum. I know you are. I love you.”

(Taken from the story Letters to No One)