Nostalgia by Dennis McFarland

Nostalgia by Dennis McFarland
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Beautifully written novel about a young man from a privileged background who enlists as a Union soldier in the Civil War and suffers from PTSD, called "nostalgia" or shell shock in the 19th century. McFarland moves the reader skillfully between 3 time periods: the main character's life before enlistment (this is what most interested me--and I would have loved a deeper exploration here), his time as a private in the Union Army, and his recuperation in a Union hospital. McFarland's prose is evocative, but the pace is challengingly slow-moving at times. Those interested in the Civil War will love it, but it may not be for everyone.