Reviews

Captain Corelli's Mandolin by Louis de Bernières

onlyliana's review against another edition

Feeling busy and not got the mental capacity for something a bit more complex. 

janey's review against another edition

4.0

A charming story, much nicer than I had anticipated all those years when I thought that if Nicolas Cage were in the movie then I didn't want to read the book but holy cow the last hundred or so pages just draaaaagggged.

murshida_'s review against another edition

emotional funny reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

This book is a war comedy book, driven by a series of characters each at different points of the war. Interestingly, the writing style means that sometimes you don’t know who is the narrator of each chapter but once yuh do know, you’re pleasantly surprised. 

oliviafahy's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

bookreadingperson's review against another edition

emotional funny reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

quuu's review against another edition

3.0

The first half: *****
The second half: *

lweezthereadrat's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark funny sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

The prose is well written but I think framing this story as a sweeping love triangle is outright false advertising. This is far more a novel about war, aging, and whether it's safe to fraternise during a seemingly docile period of conflict. I liked the introduction of multiple plot lines and narrative styles, but de Bernieres also skips over two plot points that feel set up to be larger within the span of two sentences. Corelli is a tricky character to like on account of having no mega qualms fighting for the fascists. Carlo is far more interesting and interior, more politically outspoken, more conflicted and less loved. Team Carlo and team 'was there any need to refer to somebody's face as "n-word minstrel black" in the year of our lord 1994'.

rosekk's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

e_reading's review against another edition

5.0

I finally finished it. Not an indication of quality, but merely of my own need for lighter fare at times. I thought I was going to cry my way through the last 100 pages. It moved me.

stu_rt's review against another edition

dark funny informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25