To my mind, Victors is the perfect historical novel, weaving together richly developed characters, a compelling plot, and a solid grounding in historical details. Together, these elements bring important aspects of World War I history to life. They also make for a fast-paced, entertaining read.
The novel’s main character is David Pierce, a sergeant in the 369th Infantry Regiment of the U.S. Army, which is fighting for the Allies in World War I–era France. (The 369th–made up almost entirely of African American soldiers and also known as the Harlem Hellfighters–did indeed serve in the war, to great distinction.) Because black soldiers are barred from serving with white soldiers in the U.S. Army, David and his men fight with the French, who welcome their support without reservation.
The discriminatory practices of the U.S. military speak to one of the main reasons America no longer feels like home to David. There, deeply entrenched racism stands in stark contrast to the greater acceptance that he and his fellow soldiers have experienced in French society. In addition, David bears emotional scars from a contentious relationship with his father, a famous New Orleans piano player who failed to support his family and who eventually succumbed to a heroin addiction. Furthermore, although David is engaged to a woman back in the States, he feels less and less invested in the relationship–especially after a beautiful and talented singer, Giselle, comes into his life.
Giselle first appears in the novel after David and fellow members of the Harlem Hellfighters Regimental Band repair to a nightclub following a wildly successful performance at a nearby opera house. When she takes the stage to sing, her “rich voice” and beauty enchant the entire audience, but no one is more transfixed by her than David. It’s clear that he and Giselle have already made a profound connection romantically, and it electrifies the atmosphere. (Buchanan’s writing about Giselle and David’s relationship is also electrifying, making us feel their chemistry whenever they’re together.)
After Giselle’s performance, an unfriendly man named Thierry, who claims to be her manager, rushes her out of the club. Seconds later, the club is attacked by Germans, and David and his bandmates barely escape with their lives. This scene and later ones raise certain questions for readers, and eventually, for David and his comrades: Who, exactly, is Thierry, and what connection–if any–might he have had to the surprise attack? Also, who, exactly, is Giselle, and what is the true nature of her relationship with Thierry? In the interest of not introducing spoilers, I’ll just say that the answers to these questions are complicated, and the novel keeps us guessing about them in the best of ways, introducing several intriguing twists and turns.
For much of the novel, Giselle remains a mystery to David, but this doesn’t dampen his love for her or his dream of them marrying and making a life together, in France, after the war. As he pursues her, undaunted by whatever secrets she may be keeping, he faces pushback from fellow soldiers and higher-ups, which threatens his military career. While David is confronting these challenges, he receives life-changing news from the States that further complicates his vision of a future with Giselle.
Through all of this, David never loses sight of the need to defeat the Germans, and to lead his fellow soldiers to the best of his abilities. So when he learns of an opportunity to destroy a newly developed, and especially deadly, German weapon, he doesn’t shy away from the challenge despite all the dangers of the mission. The writing about this mission, and about David’s other military pursuits and encounters, is fast-paced and edged with suspense, and the action sequences drive the story forward effectively.
One of my favorite aspects of the novel is the writing about the jazz that David and his fellow bandmates perform as part of the Harlem Hellfighters Regimental Band. Although the primary mission of the band is to entertain the Allied troops, the group’s jazz performances also draw many fans among French civilians, and we see the power of the then-new musical form to captivate audiences.
The jazz that David and his bandmates play is also a pivotal part of David and Giselle’s romance. As Giselle tells him at one point, “At first your jazz was seen as a threat to our old songs. But now I understand. It is the oldest song there is, the song of the soul. Love and pain in all of their variations, always true.” In reply, David whispers to her in French: “We are jazz, and just as timeless.”
I also admire the novel’s portrayal of historical figures and perspectives that haven’t received enough attention in accounts of the First World War. One such figure is James Reese Europe, who in real life was an influential bandleader in the United States and in wartime France, and who also fought with the Harlem Hellfighters. Europe is a significant figure in the novel, and one fellow Hellfighter makes this observation about him: “He says our doing well over here will show the world the excellence of black men, and that will make things better for our people back home.”
For his part, David is not as optimistic about what the future holds for black citizens of the States, understandably. By presenting the perspectives of Europe, David, and other characters, the book makes the case both for hope and for not looking away from the troubling realities of living as a black person in the United States. Sadly, the latter perspective remains all too relevant.
As a final point, Victors comes to a satisfying conclusion while introducing a cliff-hanger that sets up a planned sequel to the novel. I’m very much looking forward to reading it.
Would My Pick be Your Pick?
If you're interested in ________, the answer may be "Yes":￭ Historical novels
￭ Romance novels
￭ Stories about the Harlem Hellfighters, and World War I more generally–especially the role of African American combatants
￭ The history of jazz, especially in the early part of the twentieth century
