Glory Continued Reviews & Press
‘Glory is as near to a British War and Peace as any contemporary novelist is likely to come.’ Bevis Hillier The Spectator Books of the Year
‘Billington’s grandfather was killed at Suvla Bay in 1915,and this piece of family tragedy invests her epic and gripping novel with added poignancy.’ Daily Mail
‘Billington vividly creates the doomed [Gallipoli] campaign with its incompetent generals, bullish politicians and sacrificial soldiers … a clever, insightful and always readable book.’ The Times
‘Many lives were changed irrevocably by the 1915 Battle of Gallipoli. Inspired by her grandfather’s experiences, Billington focuses on the battle’s impact on a young woman and two soldiers in this heart-wrenching novel of loss, love and survival.’ Woman and Home
‘Meticulously researched, and written with elegance and sensitivity, the novel describes ‘the suicidal mission’ in which so many fought and died in vain.’ Good Book Guide
‘From the troops amidst the horrors of battle, to those at home forced to look on helplessly, people suffered but performed great deeds. Their stories, and the precious written legacy of Billington’s grandfather, are beautifully preserved in this fine and fresh evocation of British wartime spirit.’ The Lady
‘Glory stands out from the host of first World War books, fiction and non-fiction that have appeared this year. It tackles the horrors that were Gallipoli with realism and sympathy. The main characters, each one of whom is mutilated either physically or mentally, emerge to bear witness to a battle which should never be forgotten.’ The Tablet
‘Experienced novelist as she is, she is a clever plotter, and although most of her main characters survive, I doubt whether many readers will be able to guess how they end up. I did not want to enter that century-old horror story at all, but once inside it I couldn’t leave it until I knew how they did.’ The Hudson Review