Captain Corelli's Mandolin (Louis De Bernieres)

This novel contains everything to make you laugh out loud and cry real tears. From the detail descriptions of the opening scenes, and continued throughout the book, this captures the ludicrous, the loving and the brutal scenes of life in vivid detail. Mostly centred around the occupation of a Greek island during WW2, the book beautifully contrasts the innocent centuries-old culture of the island with the arrival of modern warfare. The gradual build-up takes us from initial comedy in the Italian occupation to brutality, revenge killings and mass murder. But this is only the backdrop for the characters to develop and show their depth.

After his previous books, de Bernieres' publisher complained that he wasn't developing his characters fully. He thoroughly put aside that criticism with this beautifully constructed novel that brings forth all our emotions.