Starting in 1917 New Zealand this is the story of two brothers who disagree about World War I (1914-1918). The 1916 Conscription Law has been passed and they both have to make decisions on where they stand. Older brother, William, is not conscripted but enlists anyway out of patriotism whilst younger brother, Edmund, stands up for his beliefs and declares he is a conscientious objector.

The story includes letters written home and is told in sections: At First, Before Sailing, On Ship, Getting Ready, The Trenches, First Attack and Second Attack. Included is a very clear map details Edmund's voyage on the 'Primrose Bay' and William's on the 'Empire Star' as well as a glossary.

A good insight into the war and the horror of the trenches that our ancestors preferred not to discuss. I like the timing of the book as we commemorate the start of WWI from 2014 onwards. This is well worth a read. ( )

This is the first book i have read about New Zealand at war, so it was interesting to read from a Kiwi perspective as well as a pacifist perception. The credits make mention of Archibald Baxter,a conscientous objector, his memoirs are also well written in a School Journal, Level 4 2012. It's New Zealand, 1914, and the biggest war the world has known has just broken out in Europe. William eagerly enlists for the army but his younger brother, Edmund, is a conscientious objector (CO) and refuses to fight. While William trains to be a soldier, Edmund is arrested. Both brothers will end up on the bloody battlefields of France, but their journeys there are very different. And what they experience at the front line will challenge the beliefs that led them there. This book has just won the Junior Fiction New Zealand Post Book Awards. ( )

This is a gripping story of two brothers' involvement in World War I. Whilst William eagerly enlists in 1914, his brother Edmund is a conscientious objector and refuses to fight. The story follows both brothers as they go their different ways only to both encounter the reality of WWI trench warfare.
David Hill paints an accurate picture of war without sensationalising it or dwelling on horrific scenes. Both WIliam and Edmund are well-drawn, rounded characters and the minor chracters are equally believable. This book would appeal to tweens who enjoy war and/or historical stories and would make an ideal introduction to anyone studying WWI. ( )