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breadandmushrooms's review against another edition
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
acsaper's review against another edition
3.0
Hard to imagine what war is like. Hard is probably an understatement. So, to say this book does a good job, would most certainly be a lie. To say that it does paint a picture of a character who one can try to get a glimpse of, would be fair, ish. Hard to say any more than that.
Read as East Lansing's One Book One Community, but a year or so after the fact.
Read as East Lansing's One Book One Community, but a year or so after the fact.
m_klevenberg's review against another edition
5.0
Written beautifully! It was a quick read but absolutely amazing. As someone who doesn't often think of the war in Iraq and who doesn't have many friends or family members directly involved, it was quite the eye opener. It really is amazing that as a country we could send soldiers off to war.
a_oriend's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
mals37's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
bbkate's review against another edition
4.0
It’s written beautifully. I kept reading thinking there would be any sort of moment that wasn’t sad, but there was nothing except sad. I think this is one of those books that everybody should read.
lunaseline's review against another edition
4.0
Häromdagen hade jag en diskussion med en elev. Vi tyckte lite olika om en viss Saddam Hussein. Sånt händer då och då när man undervisar barn med en annan världsbild än vår västerländska. Jag är ingen världspolitisk guru, och känner mig därför ofta osäker - hur mycket av min världsbild har jag rätt att lära ut - eller: hur imperalistisk och myopisk riskerar jag att vara...?
Efter dispyten med min elev gick jag hem och läste Powers bok. Också en västerländsk bild av Irak och Irakkriget. Men en som egentligen inte tar ställning. Eller jo - mot krig, såsom (återigen) jag tolkar det.
Allt det ligger egentligen utanför recensionen av romanen. Vad jag tycker om boken är lättare att konstatera: den är bra. Sorgligt och enformig - såsom krig är - men väldigt vackert skriven. Jag läste den på mindre än ett dygn, men de timmar det tog var jag där, i sanden och solen, tillsammans med de unga amerikanska pojkarna. Jag kan inte påstå att jag gillar den här typen av historier, eller det väldigt amerikanska i allt, men det spelar inte så stor roll. Läsningen var fin. (Till skillnad från - det kan vi väl ändå vara överens om - Saddam Hussein...?)
Efter dispyten med min elev gick jag hem och läste Powers bok. Också en västerländsk bild av Irak och Irakkriget. Men en som egentligen inte tar ställning. Eller jo - mot krig, såsom (återigen) jag tolkar det.
Allt det ligger egentligen utanför recensionen av romanen. Vad jag tycker om boken är lättare att konstatera: den är bra. Sorgligt och enformig - såsom krig är - men väldigt vackert skriven. Jag läste den på mindre än ett dygn, men de timmar det tog var jag där, i sanden och solen, tillsammans med de unga amerikanska pojkarna. Jag kan inte påstå att jag gillar den här typen av historier, eller det väldigt amerikanska i allt, men det spelar inte så stor roll. Läsningen var fin. (Till skillnad från - det kan vi väl ändå vara överens om - Saddam Hussein...?)
birdwatching's review against another edition
5.0
Completely stunning depiction of a soldier's experience of the Iraq war (which could really be almost any war). Beautifully written, and awful in the way that it makes the horrendous beautiful, and in so doing makes it even more grotesque. Gorgeous imagery of dust (and to dust we shall return) and rivers and sunsets, from the Blue Ridge mountains to the Tigris. Quietly goes about showing how little separates the ordinary from the extraordinary, life from death.
aeoliandeductress's review against another edition
4.0
I am not generally one for war books. But if you are going to make an exception for one, this is a good choice.
The story is told by one Private John Bartle. It is a story of his time in Iraq, of his return home, and of his loss of a good friend. It is a story of guilt and of brutality. Yet in that, I do not feel this book makes a judgement on this particular conflict, so much as a judgement on the nature of war in and of itself.
The author is a poet and it's evident throughout the passages, some so dazzling lyrical you find yourself swimming in them more than reading and comprehending. Yet they add depth to our narrator's character, both emotionally and intellectually.
It's not always enjoyable reading. It's heavy and there are times when you want to shake the main characters heartily. Moreover, I'm not fond of what I feel the writer wanted me to see as the bigger tragedy. Therefore the ending did not resolve as nicely for me as it may for some.
Regardless though, this book looks at a lot of the realities of war. The tight bonds formed, the unquestioning loyalty for people that may be less than savory but who will save one's ass when needed, the utter burn to go home and yet the utter disappointment with knowing how to exist once one returns, something resembling PTSD or at least survivor's guilt, and so much more. To me this is commentary on the great equalizer more than any specific conflict and does that quite beautifully.
The story is told by one Private John Bartle. It is a story of his time in Iraq, of his return home, and of his loss of a good friend. It is a story of guilt and of brutality. Yet in that, I do not feel this book makes a judgement on this particular conflict, so much as a judgement on the nature of war in and of itself.
The author is a poet and it's evident throughout the passages, some so dazzling lyrical you find yourself swimming in them more than reading and comprehending. Yet they add depth to our narrator's character, both emotionally and intellectually.
It's not always enjoyable reading. It's heavy and there are times when you want to shake the main characters heartily. Moreover, I'm not fond of what I feel the writer wanted me to see as the bigger tragedy.
Spoiler
I'm supposed to be more upset that Murphy's mutilated body was sent down the river to save his mother a last look at a deformed son than the fact that Sterling shot and killed an innocent man, with Bartle in silent agreement? That man's death deserved more than the couple year stint in jail that was served. We can argue over the mercy of what was done with Murph's body but there is no conscience in what they did to that man. Further separation of seeing the "enemy" as less than human.Regardless though, this book looks at a lot of the realities of war. The tight bonds formed, the unquestioning loyalty for people that may be less than savory but who will save one's ass when needed, the utter burn to go home and yet the utter disappointment with knowing how to exist once one returns, something resembling PTSD or at least survivor's guilt, and so much more. To me this is commentary on the great equalizer more than any specific conflict and does that quite beautifully.
carlin_milezz's review against another edition
challenging
dark
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0