Summary

• Part 1: France 1910 (pg1-17)

  • Stephen Wraysford has come to Amiens to learn more about the textile industry and is staying with the Azaire family.
  • Monsuire Azaire owns two textile factories, is a councillor and is implied to beat his wife.
  • Stephen finds Madam Azaire attractive
  • Stephen has a notebook which he uses as a diary and he writes in code for sensitive subjects.
• Pages 18-30

  • Stephen vists Azaires factory. His thoughts drift to Isabelle when Azaire and Meyraux discuss the worker's pay.
  • Stephen writes about Isabelle in his coded notebook.
  • On the 3rd day of eating at the factory, Stephen rushes out and says he will not go back into the refectory.
  • when the Berads visit, Stephen notices Berards dominance of the conversation.
  • Alone with Isabelle in the garden, Stephen takes her hand in his.
• Pages 31-47 


  • Stephen discovers that Isabelle gives food to the families of the men who are on strike.
  • Isabelle's background is explained.
  • Stephen joins the Azaire and Berards on a trip to the water gardens.
  • Stephen has a recurring dream of attempting to free a bird, and then being surrounded by starlings, who threaten to attack.
• Pages 48-62


  • Stephen is asked to return to London shortly, but he does not want to go back yet.
  • At a meeting at the factory, a fight breaks out. Stephen is caught up in it and he hits a man who slanders Isabelle.
  • It is agreed that Stephen should work from the Azaire home after the conflict at the factory.
  • Stephen and Isabelle make love and he says he will not give their secret away.
• Pages 63 - 78


  • Stephen reveals more details of his childhood to the Azaires.
  • he notices another look of complicity pass between Berard and Azire with regard to Isabelle.
  • Stephen visits the cathedral and envisages mass death.
  • He and Isabelle make love in the red room again.
  • Isabelle tells Stephen about the violence in the marriage.
• Pages 79 - 88

  • We learnt that Azaire doesn't suspect Isabelle of adultery.
  • Stephen joins the Azaires on a fishing trip at Beaucourt.
  • Stephen knows he wants to be with Isabelle in the future, but has not thought about how this will be possible.
  • Lisette tells Stephen that she knows of his affair with Isabelle and wants to have a relationship with him as well.
• Pages 89 - 108

  • Isabelle & Stephen continue to make love in secret; he asks her to come to England.
  • Isabelle admits to Azaire that she took food to the families of the striking men.
  • She also admits that she has been having an affair with Stephen.
  • Stephen and Isabelle leave together.
  • Stephen tells more about his childhood.
• PAges 109-117


  • Isabelle discovers that she is pregnant; she decides not to tell Stephen.
  • she has no regrets about the affair with him, but is beginning to feel guilty.
  • Stephen reveals his phobia of birds to her.
  • without informing him of her decision to go or of her pregnancy, Isabelle leaves.
  • her concern for the well-being of the child now overrides her relationship with Stephen.
• Part 2: Pages 119-44


  • In France in 1916, Jack Firebrace, a tunneller is underground.
  • A letter from his wife, Margaret, tells Jack that their son is in hospital.
  • On sentry duty, Jack is caught sleeping. He must report to Stephen who is now an officer.
  • Jack reports to Stephen's dugout where Stephen says he doesn't recall the incident and tells him he cannot charge him anyway.
  • The tunnellers are relived for a short while and are billeted in a nearby village
• Pages 146-66


  • Stephens section of the line has been shelled for three days.
  • Stephen and Captain Weir talk about the war and how people back home don't know how terrible it is.
  • When Stephen is on leave, his thoughts turn to Amiens; some explanation is given as to what happened after Isabelle left.
  • Captain Gray talks to Stephen and tells him he has to make his men love him.
• Pages 167-84


  • Wier asks Gray for more defence for his men working in the tunnels; Gray agrees and Stephen is put in charge of these soldiers.
  • Stephen goes down into the tunnels and tries to quell Hunt's panic.
  • Stephen is dragged out after being injured.
  • Close to death, he is placed outside the medical tent.
  • Jack sees Stephen is still alive and rescues him.
• Pages 185-212


  • Stephen recovers gradually in the hospital and witnesses the suffering of other patients.
  • Gray presumes Stephen is interested in superstition because of childhood experiences.
  • Stephen and Weir visit prostitutes.
  • Jack learns about the death of his son.
  • The division moves near Beaumont; the men think they are about to attack.
  • Gray takes Stephen to see Colonel Barclay, who informs them he will be with them in the trenches when they go over the top.
• Pages 213-40


  • The battalion marches to Colincamps and Stephen and his men stay in the barn.
  • As Stephen's company marches to the front, they pass men digging a hole.
  • The company takes part in the first day of the Battle of the Somme.
  • At the end of the day, only 155 of 800 men in the battalion respond when their names are called.
• Part 3: 241-57


  • It is England,1978, and Elizabeth Benson is on an underground train as it waits in darkness.
  • Elizabeth is 38, a managing director of a clothing company; she does not have children.
  • She reads of the sixtieth anniversary of the Armistice and decides to find out more about her grandfather.
  • Elizabeth asks her colleagues, Irene and Erinch, what they know about the First World War.
• Pages: 258-78


  • On her way to France, Elizabeth looks at a book about the First World War.
  • In France, She visits the Thiepval memorial.
  • Elizabeth goes on to Belgium to visit Robert.
  • When back in England, she visits her mother. Her connection to Stephen is revealed.
  • Elizabeth takes Stephens's notebook to Bob and he offers to decode it.
  • Elizabeth goes on a date with Stuart- she enjoys his company but her thoughts return to Robert.
• Pages: 279-98


  • It is now 1917 and Stephen and his men are marching to the front line.
  • Steph has taken over from Gray, who is now the battalion commander.
  • When on home leave, Weir realises his parents have no understanding of the conditions he has endured.
  • Stephen reads Weir's fortune
  • Stephen tries to explain the beliefs he has had since being badly injured and Jack writes home to his wife.
• Pages 299-323


  • Stephen follows Weir down to the tunnels.
  • A canary escapes in the tunnels and despite Stephens' phobia of birds he has to bring it back to the exit shaft.
  • Stephen joins Ellis on his trips to Amiens.
  • While there Stephen sees a woman in a bar and realises that she is Isabelle's sister, Jeanne and they have a talk.
  • Jeanne gives him some information about what happened to Isabelle
• Pages 324-41


  • Jeanne tells Stephen that Isabelle has agreed to see him.
  • Stephen visits Isabelle.
  • She doesn't tell him that they have a daughter but informs him of the Prussian officer she has grown to love.
  • On his return, Gray tells Stephen that he must take his promotion and home leave now.
  • They discuss the killing of prisoners-of-war and Stephen says that dignity is required for the future.
• Pages 342-64


  • After burying Shawn, Jack is overcome with grief when he performs his comedy routine at a local estaminet, or cafe.
  • Jeanne writes to Stephen and tells him that Isabelle has gone to Munich to be with Max.
  • Ellis, Stephen, Weir, Jack and Brennan are part of a working party that retrieves the dead from no man's land.
  • Stephen goes back to England for his leave and feels a delayed sense of shock.
• Pages: 365- 90


  • Stephen visits Jeanne
  • Back on the front, Gray tells Stephen they are preparing for another attack.
  • Stephen survives the attack.
  • Weir is killed by a sniper's bullet.
  • Stephen visits Jeanne again.
• Pages: 391-422


  • Bob has still not solved the code used in Stephens's notebook.
  • Elizabeth locates now an elderly Colonel Gray.
  • With the information she receives from Gray's wife, Elizabeth visits Brennan who is in a nursing home.
  • Elizabeth learns she is pregnant.
  • Bob gives Elizabeth the translation of the notebook after finally solving the code.
• Part 6 : 423-34

  • It is now 1918 in France, Gray engages Stephen in a discussion about the regiment's memorial.
  • Jack writes to Margaret and tells her that the war will move more quickly now.
  • Stephen visits Jeanne before rejoining his company.
  • Berard has told Isabelles parents that she is in Germany.
  • Stephen puts his arms around Jeanne and says Isabelles name.
• Pages: 435-54


  • Weir's replacement, Cartwright, wants Stephen to go down in the tunnels.
  • Although afraid, he agrees. He is terrified of the thought of not being able to turn around.
  • There is an explosion and Stephen hears the sound of men dying.
  • Stephen digs his way back to Jack who is badly injured.
  • Stephen tells Jack he will have children for him.
• Pages: 455-85


  • Jack calls for his mother as the fear of saying takes hold of him.
  • Stephen finds a stack of explosives and Jack tells him how to blow the charges.
  • After 3 days of work, Stephen creates an explosion heard on the German line.
  • lieutenant Levi, Lamm and Kroger, go to look for survivors.
  • Jack dies and Stephen knocks his knife against the wall to let the search party know he has heard them.
  • stephen is reduced and he and Levi embrace.
• Part 7: 487-503


  • Elizabeth tells her mother that she is pregnant.
  • Francoise tells Elizabeth that Isabelle was her real mother.
  • Francoise relates the stories of Isabelle and Stephen.
  • Elizabeth gives birth with Robert present and she names the baby John.
  • The novel ends with the sound of the crow.