Home Front
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4.6 • 34 Ratings
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- $11.99
Publisher Description
From a distance, Michael and Joleen Zarkades seem to have it all: a solid dependable marriage, two exciting careers, and children they adore. But after twelve years together, the couple has lost their way. They are unhappy and edging towards divorce. Then the Iraq war starts and an unexpected deployment will tear their already fragile family apart, sending one of them deep into harm's way and leaving the other at home, waiting for news. When the worst happens, each must face their darkest fear and fight for the future of their family.
An intimate look at the inner landscape of a disintegrating marriage and a dramatic exploration of the price of war on a single American family. Home Front is a provocative and timely portrait of hope, honour, loss, forgiveness and the elusive nature of love.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Jolene Zarkades has dedicated her life to two things: her family and her career as a helicopter pilot in the National Guard. Her 12-year marriage to Michael, however, is crumbling. A defense attorney, Michael has thrown himself into his work to cope with the death of his father and his feelings of distance from Jolene. After he misses their daughter's track meet, Michael and Jolene get into a fight that results in him declaring that he doesn't love her anymore. The next day, Jolene finds out that her unit is being deployed to Iraq; Michael is furious that she is leaving him to juggle single parenthood and his practice, and they part on bad terms. Her letters home to their daughters exclude the harsh truths of war, but while she's away, Michael starts to come to terms with how much he has taken for granted. Jolene's tour of duty is cut short when her helicopter goes down, killing a young man, severely injuring Jolene, and leaving her best friend Tami in a coma. When Jolene returns home, she must cope with her own anger, guilt, fear, and frustration. Michael begins to understand her situation as he defends a Marine whose PTSD made him kill his wife. Slowly, Jolene heals, beginning the process of coming to terms with her life. By reversing traditional expectations, Hannah (Night Road) calls attention to the modern female soldier and offers a compassionate, poignant look at the impact of war on family. 400,000 first printing.
