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Evangeline
by
Ben Farmer
As the British drove the French out of mid-eighteenth century Acadia (present day Nova Scotia), the beautiful seventeen-year-old Evangeline Bellefontaine is torn by British soldiers from her fiance, Gabriel Lajeunesse, on the eve of their wedding. Heartbroken but determined, Evangeline-along with illegal trapper Bernard Arseneau and priest Felician Abadie-sets out on a ten...more
ebook, 380 pages
Published
April 1st 2010
by Overlook
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It may not be Farmer's fault that this story isn't great, as he based it on Longfellow's poem. However.
(view spoiler)...more
(view spoiler)...more
Novels about Cajuns and their lifestyles should only be written by Cajuns or people from Acadia (Nova Scotia) or Louisiana. The character were so one-dimensional and emotionless. I had the urge to slap Evangeline and to kick Gabriel. Le Grande Derangement is so much more complex than this. The characters should have had so many more levels to them.
The pace moved about as quickly as it would have in real time. I was so bored. It's a boring novelization. I could blame it on a guy trying to write...more
The pace moved about as quickly as it would have in real time. I was so bored. It's a boring novelization. I could blame it on a guy trying to write...more
Seventeen-year-old Evangeline Bellefontaine lives in Grand Pre, Acadia. It's 1755, and the motherless girl is looking forward to marrying her love, Gabriel Lajeunesse, in less than a week. All of their plans change, however, when the French Acadians are rounded up by the English and sent away from their now-destroyed homes. Evangeline and Gabriel are separated, not to see each other for over ten years as they struggle to survive, find each other again, and forge new lives for themselves in the s...more
This was terrible. Where was the editor? Almost as wordy as Longfellow's poem, and with less emotional payoff. It's such an interesting story...the book succeeded in conveying the endless tedium of Evangeline and Gabriel's journeys--and lives--but really, I can get tedium anywhere. I don't need to travel to the 18th century for it.
And what happened at the end? I feel like I have to read someone else's novel to understand this book.
And what happened at the end? I feel like I have to read someone else's novel to understand this book.
What a shame that this interesting story was published before the editor took the time to proofread it and correct the unbelievably-numerous grammatical errors! Shame on the author, the publisher, and the editors! I enjoyed the story, but will not recommend it because of the sloppy writing.
Hideous.
That is the only word that is fit to describe this bumbling attempt to translate the beauty that is Longfellow's "Evangeline" onto the pages of a trashy AND boring (that's quite a feat!) novel.
Shame on the author. Do yourself a HUGE favor and stick with the classic.
p.s. Why can't so many male authors realistically WRITE women? guh.
That is the only word that is fit to describe this bumbling attempt to translate the beauty that is Longfellow's "Evangeline" onto the pages of a trashy AND boring (that's quite a feat!) novel.
Shame on the author. Do yourself a HUGE favor and stick with the classic.
p.s. Why can't so many male authors realistically WRITE women? guh.
I threw this book at a wall after I finished it...That said, I was probably to invested in the characters. But how could you not after following there lives for 17 years? And then to have it go down like that! Never again! Never reading this again! But I did keep the book because it looks beautiful....I have a problem..
Evangeline wasn't the best or the worst book that I've read. It's a good book to read if you haven't got anything else to read. I don't really know what to say. I'm kind of indifferent to this book.
Longfellow did it... and now... Ben Farmer has done it.
My interest in the history and story kept me reading to the end... but the poor writing made me want to put this book down several times. Confused by the ending. After dragging through the first part of the book, it seemed like the author got bored, or was reaching his page limit... the ending seemed rushed and I'm not really clear on what happened.
Silver lining: I've found a free Kobo download of the original poem by Longfellow, which I probably would never have thought to download before readi...more
Silver lining: I've found a free Kobo download of the original poem by Longfellow, which I probably would never have thought to download before readi...more
Retelling. (of a) Classic. Poem.
Just letting you know, that is my dream combination for a historical fiction YA novel.
So I really wanted to love this, (I read the poem before)...and...
...it was miserable.
SLOW. SLOW. SLOW.
This poem has really come into the spotlight lately, another retelling of Evangeline called Anxious Hearts by Tucker Shaw is coming out soon, so we shall see it that's any better.
Just letting you know, that is my dream combination for a historical fiction YA novel.
So I really wanted to love this, (I read the poem before)...and...
...it was miserable.
SLOW. SLOW. SLOW.
This poem has really come into the spotlight lately, another retelling of Evangeline called Anxious Hearts by Tucker Shaw is coming out soon, so we shall see it that's any better.
Maybe I’m just not into the fur-trapping history of Canada, maybe I didn’t give the book enough of a chance. Maybe I just don’t care. And that’s the problem.
Couldn't get past page 98. Language was way too heavy and obscure. Couldn't get invested in any of the characters. POV skipped around. Skimmed the rest and didn't look like I missed much.
Nov 27, 2010
Wordsworth Books & Co.
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
fiction
WordsWorth is pleased to host Ben Farmer for a reading and booksigning on October 22nd, from 4-5 PM! Come join us!
Aug 29, 2012
Molly Webster
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
historical-fiction
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Ben Farmer lives in Maryland, where he was born and raised. He graduated from Kenyon College with a degree in history. Since, he has worked as a teacher, an editor, and in a booking agency for musicians. Evangeline is his first novel.
http://www.virtuallybenfarmer.com
"Ben Farmer brings a legend to life in Evangeline, evoking with grace and panache the travails of the Acadians in mid-eighteenth ce...more
More about Ben Farmer...
http://www.virtuallybenfarmer.com
"Ben Farmer brings a legend to life in Evangeline, evoking with grace and panache the travails of the Acadians in mid-eighteenth ce...more
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Apr 15, 2012 07:13pm