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3.94 AVERAGE
3.94 AVERAGE
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I am not one naturally drawn to war media (books, movies, games, etc). In fact, the only reason I read this book was for a college class, and even so fairly reluctantly at first. Thankfully this is no All Quiet on the Western Front; Regeneration tells the story of after the battlefield. In fact, for any student of psychology this would be a good read, because specifically it talks about the beginning of talk therapy and the shift in treatment towards veterans and sufferers of PTSD. As such, it is not an easy read, but it is fascinating. For me, the treatment of silence, and how that relates to speech and its importance were particularly compelling. I will forever appreciate my professor for assigning this book.
I always find myself compelled by stories set in the first world war. This book was brilliantly researched and executed. Focusing on what is now known as PTSD, Regeneration gives a glimpse into the realities of living with the horrors of war. Touching, painful, yet full of wry humour, I felt I was brought into the lives of the men in this book. It is always a risk fictionalizing actual historical figures, but Barker pulls it off convincingly. I highly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in learning about the subject of the "great" war, which should be everyone.
Got assigned this in a novel writing class, and geez it's good. Why hasn't everybody read this? Right up there with "All Quiet on the Western Front" and "The Things They Carried". Anyhow, it's World War I, and some shell-shocked poets are trying to get over some really horrific shit. Early head shrinkers are trying to help them. None of it goes particularly well.
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
11/20/21:
This is five stars. What was past!me thinking? I don't know. Time and place, maybe. Perspective.
2/27/19:
Nearly ten years later and I pretty much stand by my old review. (Though it does feel more stand-alone this time, and less satisfying as a result.) This is bolstered by the fact that I went right on to start a re-listen of The Eye in the Door and the first chapter is already ten times more engaging than any of this. Still, I appreciate that this book exists, and I'll keep recommending it to people.
Also these days I'm very invested in Robbie Ross, so his handful of offscreen cameos brought joy to my heart.
7/3/09:
This definitely felt like the first third of a larger book, not a standalone first novel of a trilogy. I'll definitely read the whole thing, but this one by itself wouldn't have been anything special, although it was an interesting look at attempts to "regenerate" mentally ill soldiers in WWI and declare them fit for service again.
My biggest complaint was that the characters sounded like each other, and that they were fairly wooden. I would have loved this book and eaten it right up if that had not been the case. Aside from that one flaw, it has everything I like in a novel and it wouldn't have mattered that not much "happened."
This is five stars. What was past!me thinking? I don't know. Time and place, maybe. Perspective.
2/27/19:
Nearly ten years later and I pretty much stand by my old review. (Though it does feel more stand-alone this time, and less satisfying as a result.) This is bolstered by the fact that I went right on to start a re-listen of The Eye in the Door and the first chapter is already ten times more engaging than any of this. Still, I appreciate that this book exists, and I'll keep recommending it to people.
Also these days I'm very invested in Robbie Ross, so his handful of offscreen cameos brought joy to my heart.
7/3/09:
This definitely felt like the first third of a larger book, not a standalone first novel of a trilogy. I'll definitely read the whole thing, but this one by itself wouldn't have been anything special, although it was an interesting look at attempts to "regenerate" mentally ill soldiers in WWI and declare them fit for service again.
My biggest complaint was that the characters sounded like each other, and that they were fairly wooden. I would have loved this book and eaten it right up if that had not been the case. Aside from that one flaw, it has everything I like in a novel and it wouldn't have mattered that not much "happened."
dark
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
all time fave all time fave all time fave
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
informative
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes