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3.9 AVERAGE
3.9 AVERAGE
I think this is one of the best novels I have read in the past few years. They are not wrong when they say Santini is a character you hate and love at the same time.
Pure poetry. I am stunned by the author's powers of description. They say a good writer can describe anything - the most boring, innate object that you are most disinterested in and there were a few of those in this book - and captivate and mesmerize you. Well, Pat Conroy talked about subjects I didn't have a care in. No offense to Mr. Conroy or anyone else, I lived in SC after moving here from Iran via Turkey for one too many years. It was a culture shock on so many levels that it has left a permanent mark, and I swear if I never see the entire state of SC again, I wouldn't miss a thing. So it was a double shock that I would be so captivated by this book. The mesmerizing descriptions of the deep south, the Meecham family and the character of Bull Meecham, and his wife, Lilian Meecham, their lives in transit, sex ed by Catholic nuns, Ben on the basketball court, the life of a marines office and the general world of a fighter pilot and his family as they go through the motions of a military life, it was all too good to put down. I mostly listened to this on audio but also read the book. The narration was powerful, and as one of the first fiction books I've listened to on audio, it kept me entertained to the very end.
Also, a fun fact, I knew when the climax was happening, I guessed it, I felt it and I knew that's where the author is headed, and instead of being disappointed, I was happy to be in sync with the story teller.
I read Prince of Tides when I was a teenager, and it left an indelible impression even then.
Pat Conroy can describe anything and it comes out as perfectly orchestrated as a symphony. I am so very glad I picked up the Great Santini and well, you may be too.
Also, a fun fact, I knew when the climax was happening, I guessed it, I felt it and I knew that's where the author is headed, and instead of being disappointed, I was happy to be in sync with the story teller.
I read Prince of Tides when I was a teenager, and it left an indelible impression even then.
Pat Conroy can describe anything and it comes out as perfectly orchestrated as a symphony. I am so very glad I picked up the Great Santini and well, you may be too.
challenging
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Violence
Moderate: Death of parent
An emotional coming of age novel that pulled on my heart strings - you may not agree with Bull Conner, but you can’t help but get attached to him and his family.
Really enjoyed--excited to read some of his other work.
Parts of this book rated five stars but otherwise there were too many endless pages that didn't add to the story. Still, Conroy's ability to describe South Carolina in 1962 and the very troubled family of Bull Meacham is amazing. The characters of Ben, Mary Ann, Bull, and Lillian are complex and can't fit into a simple category. Sometimes they exhibited heroism but none of them were heroes, and that approach made for a satisfying read in the end.
I really, really liked this book. I only gave it four stars instead of five because I was expecting it to be as good as Conroy's The Prince of Tides. In my opinion, it wasn't but it is still a really great read - entertaining. The book will ring truth to those of you who are military brats - like myself. Although my father was not as "militant" (not a creative word here but appropriate) as Bull. (And I'm not just saying that b/c I know he'll read this review).
Good book - read it. DO it.
Good book - read it. DO it.
BOOK CONTENT WARNINGS: Ab*se, Domestic V*olence, R*pe/Non-Con.
So, Mr. Meecham now has a rating on my top five villains/characters I hate list. I know I’ve never shared this list before, and it is constantly changing, but here we go I guess:
Tied for first place we have Huckleberry Finn (our local racist twelve year old white boy) and BULL MEECHAM (our local abusive marine corps father of, like, a bajillion children.)
In second place we have Sauron, evil ruler of Middle Earth! (Yes, I know ranking a little boy and a dad above this monster seems a bit suspicious, but you won’t understand until you’ve read this book)
In third place we have George, our favorite bff killer! ( I think I still have trauma around rabbits and lakes…)
In fourth place we have Kronos, evil Titan of Percy Jackson. (Notice how I didn’t say Luke, because the poor kid just wanted peace and it went way south way quick)
And finally, in fifth place we have Lady Gisela, local manipulator of the favorite character that has an important role in the story! (We love Keefe, so that’s why she’s in the top five.)
Now that you have my rankings, you now see how much I hated Bull. I hated him with every ounce in my soul. He was not one of those dads who shared love by being harsh, that’s merely an excuse. The guy was abusing his entire family!!
I would suggest that you read this book at a much older age than just out of middle school, because I can assure you there are some moments in here that physically made me want to throw up. If you have the stomach for it, great! If you don’t think you can handle it, I would suggest you avoid it for the time being, make some Mac and cheese (not sponsored) and put on the Golden Bachelor.
Don’t worry, I can already hear you asking “But if you hated Bull so much, why did you give this three stars?” Well, sweet, sweet reader. I gave this three stars because Bull wasn’t the main character of this story. His son was. His family was. He was just a guy who nobody liked, and that’s what I loved about this book.
The character’s decisions were all emotionally based. They had moments of clarity, and utter moments of stupidity. It was beautifully written, even if I hated Bull.
So, Mr. Meecham now has a rating on my top five villains/characters I hate list. I know I’ve never shared this list before, and it is constantly changing, but here we go I guess:
Tied for first place we have Huckleberry Finn (our local racist twelve year old white boy) and BULL MEECHAM (our local abusive marine corps father of, like, a bajillion children.)
In second place we have Sauron, evil ruler of Middle Earth! (Yes, I know ranking a little boy and a dad above this monster seems a bit suspicious, but you won’t understand until you’ve read this book)
In third place we have George, our favorite bff killer! ( I think I still have trauma around rabbits and lakes…)
In fourth place we have Kronos, evil Titan of Percy Jackson. (Notice how I didn’t say Luke, because the poor kid just wanted peace and it went way south way quick)
And finally, in fifth place we have Lady Gisela, local manipulator of the favorite character that has an important role in the story! (We love Keefe, so that’s why she’s in the top five.)
Now that you have my rankings, you now see how much I hated Bull. I hated him with every ounce in my soul. He was not one of those dads who shared love by being harsh, that’s merely an excuse. The guy was abusing his entire family!!
I would suggest that you read this book at a much older age than just out of middle school, because I can assure you there are some moments in here that physically made me want to throw up. If you have the stomach for it, great! If you don’t think you can handle it, I would suggest you avoid it for the time being, make some Mac and cheese (not sponsored) and put on the Golden Bachelor.
Don’t worry, I can already hear you asking “But if you hated Bull so much, why did you give this three stars?” Well, sweet, sweet reader. I gave this three stars because Bull wasn’t the main character of this story. His son was. His family was. He was just a guy who nobody liked, and that’s what I loved about this book.
The character’s decisions were all emotionally based. They had moments of clarity, and utter moments of stupidity. It was beautifully written, even if I hated Bull.
I enjoyed this book a lot. It gave me an interesting look into each character and some uncomfortable moments with this dysfunctional family.