A Hard and Heavy Thing

Starred review from December 1, 2015
Lifelong friends Levi and Nick have been in college mere weeks when 9/11 changes their world. They decide to join the army to fight in Afghanistan, but by the time they go to war, they are sent to Iraq. In their war, patrols simply mean driving around in Humvees until they are attacked. Their fateful patrol occurs because of a traffic jam that impedes their return to base, and Levi, acting sergeant for the day, decides to take an alternate route. An IED destroys their Humvee, kills two squad members, and grievously wounds Nick. Levi leads his remaining squad members in repelling the attack that follows, but a Silver Star for bravery only compounds his sense of guilt. Years later, contemplating suicide, he tells Nick of his intentions, and Nick urges him to write it all down before acting. America's past wars have already inspired fine novels, and this debut effort is an intense, compelling addition. Hefti was an explosive-ordnance-disposal technician deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq twice, and his depiction of life and death in the misbegotten Iraq invasion will stay with readers for a long time.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)