The Eleventh Hour

Two minutes – it’s a short amount of time, but a lot can happen in only 120 seconds. The Eleventh Hour, by Jacques Goldstyn, was written in memory of George Lawrence Prince, the last Canadian to die in World War I, only two minutes before the armistice. The two-minute theme is carried throughout the book which tells the story of two childhood friends, Jules and Jim. Jules is born two minutes later than Jim, and Jules always follows Jim, a couple of minutes behind. As a contrasting pair of best friends, the boys grow up together, and, in 1914, they both enlist and head overseas. Jim excels in the military while Jules, as usual, trudges a bit behind his friend. Two minutes before 11 am on November 11, 1918, Jim goes over the top and is shot. Jules, following just two minutes behind, holds his friend as he dies. After the war, Jules returns home to Canada and eventually becomes a watchmaker. But all of his watches run two minutes slow.

Jacques Goldstyn’s muted cartoonish illustrations reflect his background as a political cartoonist. There is a certain lightness in the sketches yet Goldstyn does not shy away from the realities of war, including blood in the battle scenes.

But for the two friends, the slaughter continued with weapons that were more and more terrible: fighter planes, poison gas, tanks . . . The war was like a huge cauldron that kept devouring men.

The realities of war are also depicted, and life at the front is not glorified for readers. For instance, Jules and Jim realize that the Germans are not monsters, that following orders to run towards enemy fire is madness, and that trench life is muddy and full of lice and rats. Jules and Jim cry, want to go home and wish the war would end. Goldstyn also shows readers how difficult it is for veterans to return home and simply forget their friends and the war.

While the story is simple for young readers to understand the plot, The Eleventh Hour is best suited to ages 8 and up. There is much to discuss in this book: war, loss, grief, and more. Older readers would be able to make more meaningful interpretations and connections to the book. This would be a powerful book to read prior to the two minutes of silence on November 11 at 11 a.m. to consider how short two minutes is, but also what a difference two minutes can make.