A review by fins_for_frogs
Birdsong by Sebastian Faulks

2.0

I'm not someone who likes war novels, so I was admittedly biased against this book from the start, but I don't think I've ever read a book I hated with such intensity. I found most of the writing extremely dull, the sex scenes at the start were horrifyingly reminiscent of the deepest darkest realms of fanfiction, the description of women throughout the entire novel screamed written by a man, Stephen was particularly annoying in this aspect and many others. I rejoiced everytime he almost died and mourned his continued survival. The final scene felt grotesque and entirely unnecessary. I will say that I did find this a compelling narrative of the effects and experience of war but the unbareable main character and overall boring prose made it for the most part extremely unenjoyable. To be annoying and/or boring is truly the worse offense literature can commit and I am not looking forward to further study of this text in my english classes.