In the Shadows of the Sun by Alex Parsons

Robert Boswell recommends
In the Shadows of the Sun, a novel by Alex Parsons: "This is a startlingly good novel. Set during World War II in rural New Mexico and the jungles of the Philippines,
In the Shadows of the Sun is not a war story but a story of familial tragedy. One could argue that it is ultimately about the tragedy of having faith in institutions. But this says little about the experience of reading the book, which is completely involving and finally transformative. This is Parsons's second novel, and there can't be any question about his gifts. He's a hugely talented writer and unlike anyone else of his generation." (Talese/Doubleday)