I stumbled upon 'All But Forgotten' during a weekend dive into lesser-known historical fiction, and it left a lasting impression. The book follows a journalist in the 1960s who uncovers a series of suppressed letters from a WWI soldier, revealing a clandestine love affair that defied societal norms. The narrative weaves between the soldier's poignant wartime letters and the journalist's own struggle with censorship and personal demons. What struck me was how the author blurred the lines between duty and desire, making the past feel urgently present.
The secondary plot involves a modern-day historian trying to authenticate the letters, adding layers of mystery. It’s less about war and more about how stories survive—or don’t. The quiet desperation in the prose reminded me of 'The English Patient', but with grittier, more fragmented storytelling. I finished it in one sitting, haunted by the idea of how many such stories might be rotting in attics.