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amypeasewrites's review
1.0
Maybe the definition of "cowardice" has changed so much in the past 100ish years that the main character's motivation is no longer believable. It just seemed ridiculous to me. I stopped reading about 75 pages in.
khristy's review
4.0
Where to start? I believe if I broke this book into sections & analyzed it, it would be closer to 3 stars, but dang it--I can't help it. This book makes me happy.
But in the interest of fairness, let's at least touch on each individual area.
Writing:
I enjoyed the writing. I love being swept into the heyday of the British Empire--a time when the sun truly never set on her holdings & when she with all her failings, had also much to recommend her. So, the writing is not modern, but it is easy to follow and understand. The pacing lags a bit in the last quarter of the book & one does have the urge to cry, "Get on with it, man," but this was not a fatal error--merely an annoyance.
Plot & characters
Love the premise. It made for a great story. For me, though, the make or break point is the characters, & I fell in love with these people--even the minor ones were often very well-drawn. There was Harry with his courage, Ethne with her clear grey eyes and steadfastness, Durrance with his perceptiveness and determination to set things right, Sutch with his sense of responsibility, and General Faversham who really only understands duty and brute courage ...and I could go on, as even the minor characters are clear in my head. That's a remarkable feat.
Profundity
Yes, yes, & yes. Whilst some deride this as a simple adventure tale, it's clear that powerful themes of the age shine through. This is the story of Harry's redemption and how his journey affects those he loves. I can't go into detail without giving away spoilers so I'll stop there. But it is also a story that asks you to define courage. Aren't the most courageous those who suffer the great agonies off what ifs, but move forward regardless when the moment is upon them?
So really what's not to like? Redemption, courage, honor, integrity, loyalty, & friendship, I repeat--what's not to like??
But in the interest of fairness, let's at least touch on each individual area.
Writing:
I enjoyed the writing. I love being swept into the heyday of the British Empire--a time when the sun truly never set on her holdings & when she with all her failings, had also much to recommend her. So, the writing is not modern, but it is easy to follow and understand. The pacing lags a bit in the last quarter of the book & one does have the urge to cry, "Get on with it, man," but this was not a fatal error--merely an annoyance.
Plot & characters
Love the premise. It made for a great story. For me, though, the make or break point is the characters, & I fell in love with these people--even the minor ones were often very well-drawn. There was Harry with his courage, Ethne with her clear grey eyes and steadfastness, Durrance with his perceptiveness and determination to set things right, Sutch with his sense of responsibility, and General Faversham who really only understands duty and brute courage ...and I could go on, as even the minor characters are clear in my head. That's a remarkable feat.
Profundity
Yes, yes, & yes. Whilst some deride this as a simple adventure tale, it's clear that powerful themes of the age shine through. This is the story of Harry's redemption and how his journey affects those he loves. I can't go into detail without giving away spoilers so I'll stop there. But it is also a story that asks you to define courage. Aren't the most courageous those who suffer the great agonies off what ifs, but move forward regardless when the moment is upon them?
So really what's not to like? Redemption, courage, honor, integrity, loyalty, & friendship, I repeat--what's not to like??
amberacks12's review
4.0
I have very mixed feelings about this book. First of all, the language- it is so beautifully and poetically written. Second of all, some of the character’s development was fascinating to watch as the book progressed- Some went through very hard things and grew and developed in beautiful ways through it. On the other hand, some of the characters seemed very unnecessary to the story at all, and yet over half the story was spent in examination of their point of view. Also it was not entirely adventure genre, which is what I was expecting and hoping for- the best part, and only part that could be rightly categorized as adventure, was the last quarter of the book, and the bits in between the drama occurring back in England when they were describing the desert and events there. Durrance- I could care less for, Ethne was a cool character but the depth spent in her narration could have been shortened by at least half. And I wish more time had been spent with Harry and his actions in trying to redeem himself. He spent three years in the city’s of the Sudan and we hear of none of it. Lastly, it has not aged well. It’s white-centric, imperialist views were painful to read. In summation I loved it, except for certain parts that I hated. Does that make sense?
teperehmi's review
4.0
After seeing the movie (which I disliked) I was a bit hesitant to read the book. However, I am glad I did! The book is much better!
lynneelue's review
3.0
This was about a British soldier, Harry, who is scared of war but drops out of the army the day before they are sent away to the Soudan because of his fiancee, Ethne. He receives four feathers as a sign of his cowardice, and Ethne breaks their engagement because she believes she interfered and ruined his life and reputation; Harry secretly goes to the Soudan and does courageous acts to win back his feathers so he and Ethne can eventually at least be together in the afterlife. What was curious was the author's choice of narration setting--most of the story stays with Ethne and any news of Harry is through visits from others to Ethne. Despite this seemingly boring lead, it was surprisingly good. I liked learning about and watching the development of the characters as they interacted with each other or with their situations. Because I read this a chapter a day I enjoyed this greatly, but I wonder if I would have liked it as much if I'd have had to read this much more bulkily.
rosethorne_27's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
kbeddes's review
5.0
The Four Feathers is about courage and what it really means to be brave. A man who is afraid of the possibility of being a coward quits his regiment. His friends misunderstand his motives, brand him a coward with three white feathers, his fiancee adds a fourth upon seeing the three other feathers. This man faces his fears and decides to do everything possible in hopes his friends will take back the feathers. He learns that courage isn't the absence of fear, but in reality, courage is found in the act of facing his fears.
holtfan's review against another edition
5.0
A delightful romance in the traditional sense where bravery and honor trump all. The hero commits an act of cowardliness through fear of not being brave enough and fights to redeem his name. Those around him act nobly. Good stuff. Fairly fast read, though slow to get into at first.