Two bullets in Sarajevo - D. Lawrence-Young

In the summer of 1914, Europe was a large bonfire just waiting to be lit...Princip, a poverty-stricken student, becomes involved with an extreme Serbian nationalist organisation known as the Black Hand, which dreams of achieving independence from Austria. Opposing them, the Austrian Emperor, Franz Josef is determined not to give in to Serbia's demands and sends his nephew, the Archduke Franz Ferdinand, to 'show the flag' in Sarajevo. This is a golden opportunity for Princip et al to act. They assassinate the archduke and his wife, but have to pay the price for this act of murder. Two Bullets in Sarajevo is a different style novel about the First World War. Instead of dealing with the national and international politics of the time, it concentrates on actual people involved (the conspirators and the victims who were behind this assassination), in one of the most crucial murders in world history. It is also a love story - the story of how the outwardly gruff and forbidding Archduke Franz Ferdinand fought against the rigid protocols of the Austrian court in order to marry his beautiful wife-to-be, Sophie Chotek. It takes him over five years to overcome the court's opposition, but in the end he succeeds and marries his beloved Sophie. This well-researched novel delves into the personalities involved on both sides of this historical situation: the unbending Austrian aristocrats and military leaders, as well as the poverty-stricken idealistic Serbian nationalists who can dream only of independence for their beloved Serbia. It will appeal to those looking for an inspired yet accurate retelling of First World War history.