The Bracelet
The Bracelet speaks to the heart of not only the families and friends of the over 1,500 men still missing in action in Vietnam, but to anyone who has lost a loved one. They all live by the same dictum – “Never Forget.”
KIT MURRAY, a fiercely independent and ambitious college student learns about loss, loyalty and love. Grieving over the death of her younger brother, Kit buys a P.O.W./M.I.A. bracelet. She writes to this P.O.W. and they fall in love. But when the war ends and things don’t go as planned, Kit cannot move on with her life; she is a prisoner of the bracelet. Only years later is she able to put the past behind her and allow herself to love again.
Society needs heroes, especially when we are a country at war. The universal themes of loss, loyalty, honor and love speak to every age group.
And for the Vietnam generation, fifty years has given us the perspective on the issues surrounding the war that we needed in order to heal. Honoring our heroes is a crucial element in the healing process.
“Don’t wear it unless you want to get involved.” That’s what they told you when you bought a P.O.W./M.I.A. bracelet during the Vietnam War. A bumper sticker with the image of a Prisoner of War and the words ‘You Are Not Forgotten’ on it inspired me to write my novel The Bracelet. I wanted to explore what it would be like to wear a P.O.W./M.I.A. bracelet, to care about and form a special bond with a stranger and to assume the pain of his family.