Cirrus@Austlit

Set in Switzerland and France, centres on the fighting roles of two captains' wives from the warring armies. A group of French refugee soldiers in Switzerland make a secret incursion back to France to fight the invading Russians. One of their band is cruelly tortured and burned alive, pricipally by the wife of one of the Prussian (Uhlan) soldiers. The swell troupe avenge their friend and capture the wife - having killed her husband. She avenges her husband by killing the French captain - and his wife who has been fighting alongside then insists on being left alone to take her revenge. Pictures of the Prussian woman's children and her plight - returning to her dead husband only to kill herself. Powerful themes, fighting, torture, women's revenge and compassion well realised. (PB)