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3.52 AVERAGE
3.52 AVERAGE
dark
sad
tense
slow-paced
challenging
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Not as lyrical as his later work, but well-researched. A good read during vacation in Ireland.
Well, I tried it. But it was way too intellectual for me. There was a good story in there somewhere, and the language was very poetic. Probably too poetic.
I like historical fiction, and I was interested in this tale about finding the bodies of the "disappeared". But Ondaatje just uses too many $50 words. You can tell he can't help himself. I envision him sitting in some Manhattan apartment with a pipe leaning back in his chair as he pontificates.
I cared a lot about the characters and they were drawn well. But I got 1/3 of the way through the book and realized I didn't have the energy to slog through two thirds more of ethereal language.
I really would have liked to have found out what happened. Maybe in another life. Or eternity, when I have more time.
I like historical fiction, and I was interested in this tale about finding the bodies of the "disappeared". But Ondaatje just uses too many $50 words. You can tell he can't help himself. I envision him sitting in some Manhattan apartment with a pipe leaning back in his chair as he pontificates.
I cared a lot about the characters and they were drawn well. But I got 1/3 of the way through the book and realized I didn't have the energy to slog through two thirds more of ethereal language.
I really would have liked to have found out what happened. Maybe in another life. Or eternity, when I have more time.
This is such a powerful story about the war in Sri Lanka. Ondatje does a marvelous job weaving various characters' lives together, sometimes leaving loose ends in ways that seem to mimic unanswered questions of war.
challenging
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
While the writing of this book is masterful as always, I didn't fall for Anil's Ghost the way I did for The English Patient or Billy the Kid. There is a rich story here with the nuances of cultural overlap and the living of one's life that cannot be ignored.
dark
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I have rated this book a 3 due to the writing abilities of Ondaatje but overall I found this novel hard to get into. His characters were still on the surface for me and I felt unable to connect with them or care about them much. Too bad since the back story was quite interesting and I'm sure quite personal for the author, being from Sri Lanka. Not as good as I'd hoped or expected.