Stella Bain

By: Anita Shreve

Narrated by: Hope Davis

An epic story, set against the backdrop of World War I, from best-selling author Anita Shreve.

When an American woman, Stella Bain, is found suffering from severe shell shock in an exclusive garden in London, surgeon August Bridge and his wife selflessly agree to take her in.

A gesture of goodwill turns into something more as Bridge quickly develops a clinical interest in his houseguest. Stella had been working as a nurse's aide near the front, but she can't remember anything prior to four months earlier when she was found wounded on a French battlefield.

In a narrative that takes us from London to America and back again, Shreve has created an engrossing and wrenching tale about love and the meaning of memory, set against the haunting backdrop of a war that destroyed an entire generation.

©2013 Anita Shreve (P)2013 Hachette

Critic reviews

“Narrator Hope Davis brings an almost painful clarity to Stella's conviction that she must have done something terrible before she got the shrapnel wounds that hospitalized her. Davis makes each new memory revelation significant. The shock in her voice is palpable when Stella learns who she really is, and she's completely convincing as memories overwhelm, filling in Stella's blank spaces. Anita Shreve's books often begin with an intriguing premise that somehow slides into another, completely different, direction before the conclusion. Here Davis makes Shreve's plot turns and surprises credible without resorting to melodrama. An engrossing listen.” ( AudioFile)

Have you ever been to the WWI front? Stella goes

This book gave the reader a lot of locations. You were able to meet Stella Bain and learn about her slowly as her story unfolds at the front and in England. With her loss of memory, you keep hoping to find out more about her as she seeks answers. Something from within her keeps driving her to the Admiralty in London. I really enjoyed the first 2/3rds of the book, but the ending was not as polished as I thought it should be. I felt as though I was a bystander at the front and in London but when she eventually learns who she is, it wasn't as tightly written and I kind of lost a portion of my involvement with the character. The narrator was fine and did not detract in my mind. I don't regret this book, but I'm not so sure I would read it again.

A captivating story

This is the first book I have read by Anita Shreve. I found the opening of the book gripping. I could imagine walking up not knowing where you are or who you are. Shreve has a young woman waking up in a military hospital in France in 1916, suffering from pneumonia, shell shock and debilitating pains in her feet from shrapnel. She cannot remember her name but remember she was a nurse’s aid and drove an ambulance. Stella spoke only a little French but a nun spoke English, from Stella’s accent they tried to figure out if she was Canadian or American. Shreve writes with a quite urgency about aspects of life during world war one. The descriptions of Stella’s time in the field and hospital in France are especially compelling. She delves into the nature of shell shock and memory loss. Shreve has created a memorable character in Stella, a woman more independent and forth right than the male authorities of 1916 are comfortable dealing with. One of the key attributes of Stella is she does not give up no matter how hard or dangerous the going may be. Toward the end of the book the extensive dialogue and courtroom testimony moves the story along swiftly. I like the way she ties up everything at the end of the book. I think Shreve did a good job showing the turmoil of the time and the rapidly social changes occurring during WWI. Hope Davis did a good job narrating the story.

Stella Bain

I loved this book. The author draws the reader into the story in such a way that you don’t want to put the book down. Well done!

Loved it

It kept my interest and I enjoyed the characters. I didn't want it to end!

A beautiful story of one woman's life in war

Its a view of the wounds of the psyche from war and dedicated seekers of healing.

Good story but got a lil dull

I found it lore predictable than other Anita Shreve books. I couldn't wait to
Finish 👀
The narrator was good at changing voices though.

Wonderfully captivating read... or listen

The narrator/performer did well with capturing the characters' personalities as I had imagined them. It is another fine example of what I love about Anita Shreve's work, historically correct with interesting characters in a story that begs to continue reading.

Anita Shreve, story teller extraordinaire

If you could sum up Stella Bain in three words, what would they be?

Vivid, compelling storyline

What other book might you compare Stella Bain to and why?

Last time they met

Which character – as performed by Hope Davis – was your favorite?

Stella Bain

If you could take any character from Stella Bain out to dinner, who would it be and why?

August

Any additional comments?

Stella Bain is one of Anita Shreve best novels. I have read them all and this one did not disappoint

This is the best book . I enjoyed the entire story.

Stella was a tale of a different time in history . The descriptions of times and places sound real. The emotions described touched me.
The characters were very human. I would highly recommend this book.

Wonderful story

My favorite novel will always be “the stars are fire“ but this book runs a close second