You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.94 AVERAGE
3.94 AVERAGE
"A society that devours its own young deserves no automatic or unquestioning allegiance"
-------------
This was an incredible book. Pat Barker rendered a deeply insightful portrayal of the ridiculousness of healing for the sake of returning to what created the trauma. Rivers' grappling with his own role in this devastation and his introspection into his collusion was a sympathetic representation of what many sensitive practitioners of psychotherapy must undergo when working with those in the armed services. The direct contrast of his methods to that of Yealland's horrific electroshock torture made the reader appreciate his kindness even more. However, Barker through Rivers quickly reminds us that whatever their methods, their goals are the same: restoring these men to fitness for duty.
Sassoon's commitment to pacifism was noble. He was not insane, but it was better to silence and discredit him by institutionalizing him than allow him to espouse the truth of the futility and horrors of continuing the war. Ultimately he decides that his commitment to his men outweighs his personal beliefs and decides to return to France to once again take up arms. It's suggested that only through participation can his protest be respected by those who need to hear it.
Prior's developing relationship with Sarah provides some much needed emotional relief. Her outrage at the treatment of the amputees- hiding them away so as not to upset the public they sustained injuries on behalf of - is ultimately what gets Prior to see her as a worthy partner.
This was reminiscent both of the humor of Catch-22 and the poignant unflinching look at WWI of the 2022 German film rendition of "All Quiet on the Western Front".
-------------
This was an incredible book. Pat Barker rendered a deeply insightful portrayal of the ridiculousness of healing for the sake of returning to what created the trauma. Rivers' grappling with his own role in this devastation and his introspection into his collusion was a sympathetic representation of what many sensitive practitioners of psychotherapy must undergo when working with those in the armed services. The direct contrast of his methods to that of Yealland's horrific electroshock torture made the reader appreciate his kindness even more. However, Barker through Rivers quickly reminds us that whatever their methods, their goals are the same: restoring these men to fitness for duty.
Sassoon's commitment to pacifism was noble. He was not insane, but it was better to silence and discredit him by institutionalizing him than allow him to espouse the truth of the futility and horrors of continuing the war. Ultimately he decides that his commitment to his men outweighs his personal beliefs and decides to return to France to once again take up arms. It's suggested that only through participation can his protest be respected by those who need to hear it.
Prior's developing relationship with Sarah provides some much needed emotional relief. Her outrage at the treatment of the amputees- hiding them away so as not to upset the public they sustained injuries on behalf of - is ultimately what gets Prior to see her as a worthy partner.
This was reminiscent both of the humor of Catch-22 and the poignant unflinching look at WWI of the 2022 German film rendition of "All Quiet on the Western Front".
Eh. I dunno. This felt a bit unimaginative at times; historical fiction poorly handled is duller than either by themselves. I did think there was some beauty arising from the characters and their own historical and literary significance, though it was in fact the fictional character of Billy Prior which seemed to loosen up the writing a little and make it more enjoyable. Anyway, I chose not to read the latter two novels of the trilogy as a result.
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
There are so many facets that make Regeneration by Pat Barker a tour-de-force of historical fiction that to be perfectly honest, it's difficult to know where to start. Set in 1917, against the backdrop of the First World War, Barkers novel focusses heavily on the damage done to those who returned from the front due to battle fatigue, shell-shock and any number of other mental ailments that affected them.
Barker chooses largely true-to-life historical figures to highlight the plight of such veterans, the main ones being the psychiatrist Rivers, Siegfried Sassoon, Wilfred Owen and to a lesser extent, Robert Graves. Bertrand Russell and Lady Morell are also mentioned but do not actually appear in the novel. The main setting for the story is Craiglockhart Hospital in Edinburgh, a building that also actually existed and still remains, albeit as part of Napier University.
There are descriptions of the front, as experienced in the minds of those so troubled by their memories and such descriptions are written in such a powerful manner that it is hard to avoid a visceral reaction to them, a stomach churning, 'Oh my God...really?' psychological response to what our present generation can barely, if at all, imagine. The fact that Barker manages to bring our understanding so much closer is a tribute to her ability to write prose which seems at times, all too real.
Historical fiction is traditionally one of my bugbears. Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel was something that just did not agree with me as a piece of strong literature and yet it is undeniably lauded far and wide as one of the best books of the last twenty years. And as for Bernard Cornwell and Ken Follett....well, let's not even go there. You see, in spite of their vastly different writing styles, as a reader of all three of these authors, I found that their works shared one common trait above all others; I was never in any doubt that they were written as works primarily of historical fiction. What I mean by that is that whilst the depth of research was highly impressive, the story told and the manner in which it was written was...well...less so. Characterisations, captivating prose and pacing that drives the pages to be turned were all sacrificed in the name of the kinds of historical detail for which I will invariably turn to a work of non-fiction for information. The point of this somewhat lengthy digression is to make the point that I can't remember reading any other piece of historical fiction prior to this that features real-life individuals, whilst at the same time allowing me forget both that it is historical fiction and that the main characters actually did exist. That again, is a testament to Barker's writing prowess in getting the balance right here. The important facets of a piece of any fiction, let alone those of a historical nature, are on display here in spades.
Sassoon's obdurate pacificism and his self-destructive streak, his burgeoning relationship with Owens, Rivers' attitude to his patients and what they experienced and how this attitude morphed into something else by the novel's end, the desperate plight of the lesser characters (Billy Prior in particular) and the at best unsympathetic and at worst downright brutal methods employed to treat patients in order to get them back to the murderous conditions of the Western Front; these, coupled with masterfully composed prose, are in a nutshell, the standout features that make Barker's work so impressive. She doesn't rely solely on any knowledge of real-life characters which may have been gleaned by the reader before they even picked up her work; no - she makes such characters real. She brings them to life. It is with a pleasant sense of enlivenment that I look forward to reading the other two instalments in Barkers Regeneration trilogy.
Barker chooses largely true-to-life historical figures to highlight the plight of such veterans, the main ones being the psychiatrist Rivers, Siegfried Sassoon, Wilfred Owen and to a lesser extent, Robert Graves. Bertrand Russell and Lady Morell are also mentioned but do not actually appear in the novel. The main setting for the story is Craiglockhart Hospital in Edinburgh, a building that also actually existed and still remains, albeit as part of Napier University.
There are descriptions of the front, as experienced in the minds of those so troubled by their memories and such descriptions are written in such a powerful manner that it is hard to avoid a visceral reaction to them, a stomach churning, 'Oh my God...really?' psychological response to what our present generation can barely, if at all, imagine. The fact that Barker manages to bring our understanding so much closer is a tribute to her ability to write prose which seems at times, all too real.
Historical fiction is traditionally one of my bugbears. Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel was something that just did not agree with me as a piece of strong literature and yet it is undeniably lauded far and wide as one of the best books of the last twenty years. And as for Bernard Cornwell and Ken Follett....well, let's not even go there. You see, in spite of their vastly different writing styles, as a reader of all three of these authors, I found that their works shared one common trait above all others; I was never in any doubt that they were written as works primarily of historical fiction. What I mean by that is that whilst the depth of research was highly impressive, the story told and the manner in which it was written was...well...less so. Characterisations, captivating prose and pacing that drives the pages to be turned were all sacrificed in the name of the kinds of historical detail for which I will invariably turn to a work of non-fiction for information. The point of this somewhat lengthy digression is to make the point that I can't remember reading any other piece of historical fiction prior to this that features real-life individuals, whilst at the same time allowing me forget both that it is historical fiction and that the main characters actually did exist. That again, is a testament to Barker's writing prowess in getting the balance right here. The important facets of a piece of any fiction, let alone those of a historical nature, are on display here in spades.
Sassoon's obdurate pacificism and his self-destructive streak, his burgeoning relationship with Owens, Rivers' attitude to his patients and what they experienced and how this attitude morphed into something else by the novel's end, the desperate plight of the lesser characters (Billy Prior in particular) and the at best unsympathetic and at worst downright brutal methods employed to treat patients in order to get them back to the murderous conditions of the Western Front; these, coupled with masterfully composed prose, are in a nutshell, the standout features that make Barker's work so impressive. She doesn't rely solely on any knowledge of real-life characters which may have been gleaned by the reader before they even picked up her work; no - she makes such characters real. She brings them to life. It is with a pleasant sense of enlivenment that I look forward to reading the other two instalments in Barkers Regeneration trilogy.
I do love her new trilogy but I found this one quite difficult to get thru.
slow-paced
This one was a bit of a slog for me. I didn't like the characters and never connected with any of them. Lots of commentary on the uselessness of war.
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A friend of mine suggested I read this in 2019. I didn't get around to it until we were in the depths of lockdown. It changed my brain chemistry, I fear.
dark
emotional
informative
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
I really enjoyed this, and found it an incredibly compelling look at the impacts of post-trauma on a small variety of individuals. From what I remember of the other Pat Barker book I've read, Border Crossing, this shares a seemingly recurring theme - how trauma, and particularly violence, stays. How it wraps around someone's life like a wedding band, coming back in waves and troughs.
So, what better piece of violence and trauma for her to inspect than The Great War? If the other two books in the Regeneration trilogy stack up to this one, it might be Barker's magnum opus.
So, what better piece of violence and trauma for her to inspect than The Great War? If the other two books in the Regeneration trilogy stack up to this one, it might be Barker's magnum opus.