Midnight on the Marne

A few crucial choices change the fate of two people in this entrancing speculative love story from Adlakha (She Wouldn’t Change a Thing). In the summer of 1918, WWI rages through France and Marcelle Marchand, both a nurse and a spy for British Intelligence, crosses paths with American soldier George Mountcastle, who is immediately captivated by her beauty. When Marcelle’s assignment goes wrong, history is rewritten, and Germany succeeds in conquering France. George rescues Marcelle with the help of Marcelle’s twin sister, Rosalie, and they escape to Soissons. The price for hiding American soldiers is death, but Marcelle risks it. She and George have fallen in love, and she’ll do anything to protect their life together. But as the war threatens everything they hold dear, George wonders what might have happened if, at various points in their relationship, they had made different choices, and contemplates altering history to end their suffering. Adlakha expertly lays the foundation for this sweeping, tragic romance while never shying away from the merciless bloodshed of war. The mystical element of George playing with time arrives late and a bit abruptly, but this does not detract from its powerful emotional impact. This wistful tale is a winner. [em](Aug.) [/em]