review: the post-war dream by mitch cullin

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Hollis and Debra married not long after Hollis returned from the Korean War. Now they’re living out their retirement years in Arizona where it has unexpectedly snowed. That’s when another unexpected thing happens: a regular doctor’s checkup reveals that Debra has cancer. Hollis always thought he’d go first since his mother is a widow twice-over, but now he must face losing his life’s love. As the two struggle through Debra’s treatment, Debra encourages Hollis to reflect on his life both through writing his autobiography and asking to again be told the story of how they met.

The Post-War Dream goes back and forth between present-day and the past as Hollis remembers his time in Korea. The flashbacks are seamlessly woven into the present-day happenings which makes the transition for the reader very smooth. Cullin does an excellent job telling this heart-breaking story. The characters are very real and the settings are beautifully described.
5/5
Review copy provided by the publisher, Doubleday.