About This Book
2021 Kipp Award Winner
2021 Historical Fiction Index Best Book Cover Winner
1918
A mysterious song in the forest…
A discovery in war-torn France…
A journey toward hope, for hearts who’ve crossed the world to find each other.
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Platoon Sergeant Matthew Petticrew arrives in France as part of the American Expeditionary Forces, an arrival which a war-weary France desperately hopes will help to end the turmoil. Having faced unthinkable things on the front, he is captivated by the sound of a lullaby, sung by a voice so pure he knows he must have imagined it. But rumors sweep through the trenches like wildfire, dubbing the voice “The Angel of Argonne,” a mysterious presence who leaves behind wreaths on unmarked graves and footprints in the war-pocked soil.
Raised wild in the depths of the Forest of Argonne, France, Mireilles finds her world rocked when war comes crashing into the idyllic home she has always known, taking much from her. When Matthew discovers Mireilles, three things are clear: She is alone in the world, she cannot stay, and he and his two unlikely companions might be the only ones who can get her to safety.
“Yours is the Night moved me to tears on more than one occasion. . . . A compelling story that shows the darkness of conflict and the wounds warriors carry for the remainder of their lives, and the glimpses of light and hope that can come from the same conflict. You did not take away or disrespect the Unknown Soldiers, but helped bring attention to the beginning of our nation’s most honored shrine in a unique way.”
–Gavin McIlvenna, President of the Society of the Honor Guard, Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
“Taking us from American soil deep into the forests of France, and even to Paris, the book tugs at every heartstring while reminding us that the same God who shines his light in the day also holds the darkest nights in the palm of his hand.”
–Christianity Today
“In this propulsive tale, Dykes brings together soldiers and an ethereal presence in the woods of France during WWI. . . .Dykes embeds timeless themes of trust, courage, and sacrifice, and Mireilles’s ethereal role provides a subtle element of faith. Readers who enjoy the work of Tracie Peterson will love this.” –Publishers Weekly
“Told through the lens of multiple characters, Dykes forces readers to deeply engage with the story. There are numerous unanticipated twists and turns embedded in shifting geographic locations and timeframes.”–Historical Novel Society