There is no question that the writing is excellent. The setting and events are vivid and let you live in an influenza ward for three days. But the booThere is no question that the writing is excellent. The setting and events are vivid and let you live in an influenza ward for three days. But the book is short on plot. I liked the main character, but I never got a sense of what she wanted or where she was going. I got even less of a sense of where the book was going. I’m not sorry I read it, but I don’t recommend it if you like plot driven stories. And one more picky thing: the lack of quotation marks to mark dialogue drove me to distraction. ...more
Any writer would consider themselves blessed to have half of Helprin’s facility with language. The prose is lyrical and heavily peppered with insightfAny writer would consider themselves blessed to have half of Helprin’s facility with language. The prose is lyrical and heavily peppered with insightful turns of phrase. Scenes are described vividly, and the characters (at least the male characters) are fully fleshed out. Reading (or better yet listening to) “A Soldier of the Great War” is spending time with a master of the craft of writing.
So why four stars instead of five? The story is told through the point of view of an elderly man who is recounting his life when he was at the peak of his strength. It has the flaws of that kind of story. It is sometimes disjointed. It often portrays Giuliani as almost superhuman. It’s a long book, and after a while the indulgent ramblings of an old man, no matter how eloquent, wear thin. If, however, you stay with it, you will be rewarded with a section of riveting narrative, a brilliant image or a golden turn of phrase.
I will read it again, probably more than once just to watch a master at work....more
Most of this book takes place in a small bedroom of a small, 19th century, Irish farm house. In fact, it would be safe to say that the majority of theMost of this book takes place in a small bedroom of a small, 19th century, Irish farm house. In fact, it would be safe to say that the majority of the book takes place in the mind of one of the characters as she watches over an 11-year-old girl as she sleeps and prays in that small bedroom. Yet the book is a page-turner. Donoghue's ability to pull that off attests to her skills as a writer.
The Wonder has a good heart. It is a story of flawed and injured people doing the best they can inside the framework of the world as they know it. A nurse tries to save a girl whose health threatened by a prolonged fast. The girl holds to her fast as a part of a faith that she hopes will undo the damage done to her family. A nun must choose between her vows and her conscience. And a family and town tries to deal with pain by ever more layers of religious ritual. Nobody here is malicious, but they can't seem to break free of old pain and suspicions long enough to address the primary problem of the book.
The book can be read on many levels--psychological, historical, sociological, or just as a darn good story....more
I got about halfway through the book, far enough to know two things: (1) Its reputation as a great book is well earned, and (2) I didn’t want to spendI got about halfway through the book, far enough to know two things: (1) Its reputation as a great book is well earned, and (2) I didn’t want to spend any more time in that world....more
If what you are looking for stories about how presidents’ personal quirks and character flaws can be seen in the choices they made while in the Oval OIf what you are looking for stories about how presidents’ personal quirks and character flaws can be seen in the choices they made while in the Oval Office, this is your book. If you are looking for an analysis of how legislation and precedent made Trump’s administration possible, this isn’t it. It’s not a bad book, just light on insight....more
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