While England Sleeps by David Leavitt

Sometimes, when I finish a book, I loved it so much that I have to write a review right away, However, sometimes, a book affects me so, that I need a few days to decompress. This is the latter.

While England Sleeps takes place in 1930s Europe. It's told from the point of view of Brian Botsford, an upper class amateur writer, and tells of the relationship he has with Edward Phelan, a working class boy and Communist.

That's all you're getting out of me as far as a summary, because this a book one needs to experience with only the vaguest of preconceived notions. Because nothing can prepare you for getting your heart ripped out and stomped on. Ok, I'm being over dramatic, but when I finished and closed the book, that's what I felt happened to me.

Oh, the author is a cruel person for doing this to me, I thought. I couldn't stop sobbing at one point. I get it, though. While England Sleeps is incredibly realistic and those are stories that get me emotional – the ones that could quite possibly have happened.

In the days following my finishing this book, I found the story popping back into my head at random times. I've had to tell myself not to get all choked up again. Cripes, I have to keep telling myself that this damn book was fiction.

I checked this book out from the library, but now I have to buy my own copy, so I can randomly open it and torture myself at odd times.

Damn this book.