Trench warfare on the Western Front of World War I has gotta be like, at least in the top 5 worst experiences in all of human history. But I think this is the first fictional account I've read that really nailed just how fucking bleak it could be by looking at it directly rather than shunting it to the background or a flashback.

Strangely enough, this book strongly reminded me of [b:Fever Dream|30763882|Fever Dream|Samanta Schweblin|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1471279721l/30763882.SX50.jpg|42701168], in that it's a brief look at a character's descent into madness. A Senegalese soldier who's drafted up by France to fight the Germans watches his best friend die and Does Not Handle It Well™. His white French commanding officers just want the Africans to act savage and scare the opposing Germans, and our protagonist is all too willing to play the part. Problem is, his own side starts becoming afraid of him as well. Very much a, "we asked you to give an 8 or a 9 on the crazy scale, and you're giving us a 20" kind of situation.

There's a series of vignettes of trench life and life before the war, but the book has a very loose flow and structure, and I didn't really know what to expect at any point as past and present blended together with increasing frequency. But that very well could have been intentional, as our protagonist starts to lose his own sense of identity towards the end.

Definitely a unique perspective for a historical period I thought I'd already seen from every angle. And in retrospect, there really wasn't any supernatural aspect at all like I expected going into it, which actually heightens the depravity of it all. Maybe give this one a go when you're already in a good state of mind and not when you're looking for a feel-good/pick-me-up kind of story.