Lovely War
by Julie Berry
Narrated by Jayne Entwistle, Allan Corduner, Julie Berry, Dion Graham, Fiona Hardingham, John Lee, Nathaniel Parker, Steve West
Why Listen to This Audiobook?
Aphrodite narrates four WWI love stories as if she's testifying in her own defense — and eight narrators make it feel like a full theatrical production.
- Great if you want: sweeping wartime romance with mythology woven through
- Listening experience: emotionally layered and episodic — shifts between tender and devastating
- Narration: full cast of eight gives each couple a completely distinct voice
- Skip if: Greek gods narrating WWI history sounds too clever by half
About This Audiobook
Set against the brutal backdrop of World War I, Julie Berry's award-winning novel weaves together two love stories with a mythological frame: Aphrodite herself narrates the tale of four young people whose fates collide amid the trenches of Europe. Hazel and James find each other at a London party just before he ships off to the front, while Aubrey, a Black musician from the 15th New York Infantry, encounters Belgian singer Colette in the ruins of war-torn Europe. Presiding over it all, the goddess of love defends her domain against the god of war, arguing that love endures where conflict destroys.
The eight-narrator cast transforms the listening experience into something extraordinary. Each performer brings a distinct voice to their character, with the ensemble delivering emotional range that a single narrator couldn't match. Julie Berry's own narration as Aphrodite adds a playful, intimate quality to the framing story, while the period-specific performances ground the WWI sequences in authentic gravity. At nearly 13 hours, the production sustains its momentum through careful pacing, making it ideal for listeners who want a rich, immersive story.