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3.93 AVERAGE
3.93 AVERAGE
Oh dear how much did I hate this book? I bought it years ago without having read any other of Faulk's books. For some unknown reason, I then went on to read five other works of his fiction, and gave them all either one or two stars. Well, one more chance, fella, with the one I was most interested to read. And it was dreadful. The beginning section with the pointless romance is overwritten and trashy, and I cared nothing at all about the characters. Switching gears entirely, we are plunged into the trenches of WWI, where the writing is fine but it goes on way too long and just became torturous to read. Then suddenly we are in 1978 following a female character who could not be more utterly blah in another entirely pointless plot line. (I actually shrieked over the last scene) I have seen the TV production, which I found underwhelming and don't even much remember, which is why, coupled with my lack of enthusiasm for Faulk's other books, delayed me reading this for so long. I should have just donated it to the library and forgotten it.
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Birdsong is broken into seven sections and is primarily focused on the harrowing World War I stories of Stephen Wraysford, an English solider. After an opening section about Stephen's ill-fated love affair with Isabelle Azaire before the war, the story alternates between Stephen's war stories and shorter sections about his granddaughter Elizabeth .
Honestly, I almost didn't finish the book at all after it became quite unnecessarily lurid for a bit in that first section. But, I pressed on to the war section and found that it did a fantastic job exploring the details of the physical and mental horrors of war (as all "good" war novels do). I can't say I ever really enjoy a war novel, but I thought these parts of the book were good. It opened up a new understanding to me of trench warfare and the systems of deeper tunnels that were also involved. I particularly liked the ending of the next to last section of the book as it was a beautiful, bittersweet resolution to the war story. (I bet that played well in the Masterpiece miniseries made of this book.) I did not, however, particularly care for the sections about Elizabeth, especially the ending of the book. I think there was a way to tell that story without another graphic scene, but I see the literary point nonetheless.
Honestly, I almost didn't finish the book at all after it became quite unnecessarily lurid for a bit in that first section. But, I pressed on to the war section and found that it did a fantastic job exploring the details of the physical and mental horrors of war (as all "good" war novels do). I can't say I ever really enjoy a war novel, but I thought these parts of the book were good. It opened up a new understanding to me of trench warfare and the systems of deeper tunnels that were also involved. I particularly liked the ending of the next to last section of the book as it was a beautiful, bittersweet resolution to the war story. (I bet that played well in the Masterpiece miniseries made of this book.) I did not, however, particularly care for the sections about Elizabeth, especially the ending of the book. I think there was a way to tell that story without another graphic scene, but I see the literary point nonetheless.
Hauntingly beautiful. Literary masterpiece about the hopelessness and senselessness of war and Stephen’s desire to find something to survive for.
i didn't really like any of the characters or feel a connection to the domestic side of the plot so i didn't like LOVE and look forward to reading this book
however i think it was a really important and insightful read in regards to the horrors and impacts of ww1
however i think it was a really important and insightful read in regards to the horrors and impacts of ww1
This story was pivotal when it was published in 1993 for showcasing the atrocities of World War One. Whilst I have decided through reading several of Faulks’ novels that they are not my cup of tea, I enjoyed the honest portrayal of this piece of history, and how it highlighted a range of consequences of the war. Read if you are brave, for this book can be very dark at times.
Um’d and ah’d over whether this was a 3 or 4. I’ve landed at a 4. The depiction of life in the trenches during WWI is very well-written and deeply moving. It’s brutal and it’s grim.
I could have gone without the two shallow romance storylines that frame the story, they seemed unnecessary and I seriously found myself cringing throughout the first section of the book. I felt more interested and invested in the relationship between Weir and Stephen. I’m glad I persevered because the sections set during WWI felt like a completely different book!
I could have gone without the two shallow romance storylines that frame the story, they seemed unnecessary and I seriously found myself cringing throughout the first section of the book. I felt more interested and invested in the relationship between Weir and Stephen. I’m glad I persevered because the sections set during WWI felt like a completely different book!
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Oof, at points this was hard to read (the tunnel sections) but WOW this was so well written and interesting. Felt it was a little long and sometimes military heavy but I loved it
Oh, I am so disappointed. I started out sure this was going to be a five-star. I was imagining a woman attempting to keep her commitments to her factory owner husband and to the struggling factory workers. I was imagining the Brit who comes to understand the factory ways of France, who maybe joins in the struggle. But it wasn't about that. In a few short paragraphs, it went straight to tawdry. It went right to the sex schtick. The world war one stuff is the only thing that saves this from one star. That stuff was good. But then, right back to the romance ridiculousness. So sad. This book could have been about something, but the author took the cheap way out. Just awful.