A boy, a horse, and a string of beads are masterfully woven together in Fallen For France by Elizabeth Letts.
Fallen For France by Elizabeth Letts is an immersive historical fiction read that takes you to Morocco and France during WWI. It was published in 2026.
Elizabeth Letts does a brilliant job connecting five characters, three from Morocco, one from France, and one from England, through a string of amber beads and a magnificent Arabian horse.
I have read and enjoyed Elizabeth Letts’ nonfiction books. I loved her book The Ride of Her Life, so when I saw she had a new fiction book, I knew I wanted to read it. With so many books in my to-be-read stack, though, I was going to put it off for a while.
Then I listened to an author interview with Elizabeth Letts on the Thoughts From a Page podcast, and I knew it needed to be the next fiction book I picked up.
Listening to the author interview and the history behind why Elizabeth Letts wrote this book was fascinating. I knew I would enjoy this book.
Elizabeth Letts’ husband is from Morocco, and his family still lives there. Elizabeth currently lives in the U.S., but she has lived in Morocco. She knows the culture, people, and places of Morocco, and it shines through in her writing.
Fallen For France is a WWI historical fiction book, but the characters and setting felt so real that it read like a real story. I felt like the people and events in Fallen For France could have really happened. It read like real life. To me, that is what makes a great historical fiction read.
In this book, you follow Beddou, a Moroccan boy who, at a young age, has to become a man far too soon when his dad sends him off to become a shepherd working for a distant relative. When he leaves, his mother gives him a string of beads to help him find his way home.
You also follow Estelle, a young woman in France, caring for her younger brother, who finds an Arabian mare near her house.
And then there is Thomas, an English veterinarian, working in France on horses injured during the war.
Their lives are connected through six beads and the horse they’ve all grown to love.
This book is set in both Morocco and France. I have read many historical fiction books set during both WWI and WWII, but I have never read one set in Morocco.
I loved learning about Moroccan culture, especially what it was like during WWI. This is a WWI story, unlike any that I have read.
This book was a five star read for me. It will be one of my top fiction reads of the year.
It was not an easy read, though. This book deals with difficult things. It is descriptive in parts, especially when it comes to Beddou and what he went through, and what Estelle has gone through.
But those things are what made this story feel real to me. Life is full of tragedy. In America’s modern comfort, it’s easy to forget that much history and culture from around the world remain unknown or misunderstood.
If you are looking for a historical fiction book that is different from anything you have probably read, give this one a try.
Fallen For France may not be a quick, easy read, but it is so worth it!