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Content snapshot
Flag an inaccuracy →What's in this book, at a glance — five things readers want to know before they start.
Violence
A lot
WWII combat violence; a deliberate self-injury (grenade); suicide attempts
Language
Barely any
Mild profanity
Sexual Content
Some
Rape of a teenage girl is central to the plot; depicted with restraint but emotional honesty
Substance Use
Barely any
Social drinking in the veteran milieu
Emotional Intensity
A lot
Revenge, survivor guilt, rape trauma, and the question of what constitutes heroism
What this book is about
Francis Cassavant returns from WWII with his face destroyed by a grenade he fell on — deliberately. He's back in Frenchtown, Massachusetts to find Larry LaSalle, a beloved youth center leader who raped Francis's girlfriend Nicole when they were teenagers. Short, brutal, and morally complex, Cormier's late novel asks whether heroism and monstrosity can exist in the same person.
Notes for sensitive readers
Reader-flagged moments and themes that may affect your experience.
Rape of a teenage girl
Deliberate self-harm
WWII violence
Suicide attempts
Reader Verification
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