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3.93 AVERAGE
3.93 AVERAGE
Beautifully written, descriptions of the work carried out underground by the 'sewer rats' in WWI were very detailed. I found it slow paced initially but very worth while reading. The going between the past and present day was quite easy to follow. A love story and the granddaughter looking for her family history. Quite interesting the way she finds out. And the ending was fantastic.
dark
emotional
informative
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
This book feels hard to review. I liked it, but I didn't love it, and at times was reluctant to pick it up. The chapters regarding WWI and life in the trenches were superb; emotional, heartbreaking, detailed (and realistic) in their misery. And yet, I cannot say the same for the depiction of either Wraysford's romance with Isabelle Azaire or Elizabeth's part of the story. These felt clumsy, underdeveloped and inauthentic. The book is branded as a novel of love and war, and although I did not feel connected in any way to the relationship between Stephen and Isabelle, there were other loves. The men with each other, the soldiers with their land, the Germans with the British, the British with the Germans, the lives saved with the lives lost. There is fury and pain and love and hope to be found within these pages, but evocation of emotion is unfortunately diminished by the unsuccessful inclusion of life both pre- and post- war.
Phenomenal book in the end about love and war. I found the first 100 or so pages hard to get into, but I’m glad I did
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Intense and haunting read. Depicts the horrors of the First World War in a way that’ll stay with me for a long time.
I first read this book when I was about 16/17 and the only thing I remembered about it were the erotic sex scenes in the first section of the novel!
Now I've re-read it, the scenes in the trenches stick with me. It's the idea that, unless you've lived through it, you've got no idea. The attitudes of the families back home are shocking to our modern perspective...they dismissed the horrors their sons told stories of by saying "we're all doing our bit".
We read of men fighting on the front and longing for home, while wondering how they'll ever live a normal life. I got so involved with the characters that I hated stopping reading because I didn't want to abandon them where they were!
It's heartbreaking watching men live and die in the trenches and not knowing which is worse.
The end of the book is touching and unexpected without being sappy.
Read this book to learn about the lost generation, and to learn about a war that's recently gone out of living memory.
Now I've re-read it, the scenes in the trenches stick with me. It's the idea that, unless you've lived through it, you've got no idea. The attitudes of the families back home are shocking to our modern perspective...they dismissed the horrors their sons told stories of by saying "we're all doing our bit".
We read of men fighting on the front and longing for home, while wondering how they'll ever live a normal life. I got so involved with the characters that I hated stopping reading because I didn't want to abandon them where they were!
It's heartbreaking watching men live and die in the trenches and not knowing which is worse.
The end of the book is touching and unexpected without being sappy.
Read this book to learn about the lost generation, and to learn about a war that's recently gone out of living memory.
emotional
inspiring
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
challenging
dark
informative
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
This book is like nothing I've ever come across. Birdsong had been recommended to me countless times by book club members and then I saw a trailer for the TV adaptation on the BBC.
I've never read a book about war before. But then, this book isn't really about war, it's about Stephen Wraysford's life. It encompasses everything from his love affair with Isabelle, to his time during the first world war and his rise within the ranks.
There are several things I love about this book. For a start I love Faulks' descriptions of just about everything. He makes the trenches and tunnels a place no one would like to go to and the love scenes with Isabelle something a certain Mr Grey would be proud of. It has been an absolute joy and journey to read.
The characters that Faulks creates are exceptional, especially Wraysford's comrades and colleagues. The way that their relationships are portrayed is heartfelt, incredible and is the reason why I spent the second half of this book in tears or close to. My personal favourite was Weir. Knowing that these characters could die at any moment in this tragic war makes the book unpredictable and surprising.
I also enjoy the fact that you don't always follow Wraysford's story. Some time we spend with tunneler, Jack Firebrace, as well as some time with Wraysford's granddaughter Elizabeth in the 1970's and Weir as he returns home.
I don't know much about the first world war, but I was surprised about the use of the tunnels. I wasn't aware of the part they played in the war and I found it interesting. It wasn't just your usual trenches and shelling, although they way in which Faulks describes those parts make it sound horrific.
Another reviewer wrote that it's almost like Faulks is writing from memory and personal experience and I second that. It feels like this character is real and you're following his life story. It's an exceptional book and I recommend it to everyone. You won't come across anything else like this.
I've never read a book about war before. But then, this book isn't really about war, it's about Stephen Wraysford's life. It encompasses everything from his love affair with Isabelle, to his time during the first world war and his rise within the ranks.
There are several things I love about this book. For a start I love Faulks' descriptions of just about everything. He makes the trenches and tunnels a place no one would like to go to and the love scenes with Isabelle something a certain Mr Grey would be proud of. It has been an absolute joy and journey to read.
The characters that Faulks creates are exceptional, especially Wraysford's comrades and colleagues. The way that their relationships are portrayed is heartfelt, incredible and is the reason why I spent the second half of this book in tears or close to. My personal favourite was Weir. Knowing that these characters could die at any moment in this tragic war makes the book unpredictable and surprising.
I also enjoy the fact that you don't always follow Wraysford's story. Some time we spend with tunneler, Jack Firebrace, as well as some time with Wraysford's granddaughter Elizabeth in the 1970's and Weir as he returns home.
I don't know much about the first world war, but I was surprised about the use of the tunnels. I wasn't aware of the part they played in the war and I found it interesting. It wasn't just your usual trenches and shelling, although they way in which Faulks describes those parts make it sound horrific.
Another reviewer wrote that it's almost like Faulks is writing from memory and personal experience and I second that. It feels like this character is real and you're following his life story. It's an exceptional book and I recommend it to everyone. You won't come across anything else like this.