Rating: 
Summary: good, could have been great
Review: This author writes beautifully. Sometimes, however, he has trouble editing and the emotional impact of the work becomes diminished, the reader suddenly feels distant from the characters (even if charmed by the writing exercise itself). When he learns to handle his embarrassment of riches better (a stream of worthy ideas and endless beguiling descriptions), he will produce a more engaging novel. It would also help if he made his romantic scenes a little less cartoonish.
Rating:
Summary: Our reading group enjoyed it
Review: The Pager Turners would like to report that overall we all enjoyed this book and have given it an average of 3.6 out of 5. Many of us were intrigued by the introduction and evolution of the characters at the beginning of the book. Dr Iannis and Carlo seemed to have split the vote as to which character people liked the most. Between their feelings and character, Iannis and Carlo struck us more deeply than the others (not to say that the others were not full-bodied characters, but these two seemed to carry the essence of the theme of the book). We felt the humor glued together the many horrific parts of the war-torn Greece. The historical aspects were intriguing and helped to make the reader to be more curious about this fabulous little island in the Mediterranean. The political sections of the book were not as readily devoured by us as were the character developments, but we realized they were essential in the telling of the story. Certain aspects of the story incurred a strong remark from one member that they were a bit of a Hollywood sell-out, because it seemed to have elements thrown in that would look good in film. In general we felt the ending was weak and that, perhaps, the author did it to have the opportunity to expound more on Greek history. We also felt that Corelli was not always written true to his character. We all felt we would recommend this book, but not to those who are casual fluff-type readers. Good book.
Rating: 
Summary: Even a teen romance would be better
Review: I had high expectations for this book and was very disappointed. The romance was boring. A child could have written something with more soul. Only a few of the the characters held my interest through the whole book. It was obvious that the writer has not known any Greek peasants. Both of my parents are from a small village in Greece and I have been there many times. And, I've been in an outhouse, it is not, as the writer thinks, a place a person sits in a long time gazing at the sky. This book has nothing original in it and is full of cliches. I'm surprised no one yelled "Opa"
Rating:
Summary: Corelli's Mandolin
Review: Louis de Bernieres dazzles with his ability to apply diverse areas of knowledge and use them to develop characters of color and depth. Their respective stories are set against overwhelming historical and natural disasters. I found the beginning two chapters difficult entrees into this deep, thoughtful and moving book, and agree with other reviewers that the last seventy or so pages disappoint. In fast-forwarding through time, de Bernieres deviates from the careful construction that has gone before. While this contrast is certainly poignant, it is a bit jarring, and the succeeding characters such as Antonia, Alexi and Iannis are not as well-eveloped, nor, indeed, as essential to the novel or to the ending of the story. The conclusion of the romance between Pelagia and Antonio is neither believable nor consistent with the natures of the individuals and it almost seems as though the author became tired of the story and needed to contrive a place to stop, which he could have done several pages earlier. Overall, however, this is an excellently written and very literate book which brings home in a touching and vivid way both the joy and tragedy of human experience.
Rating: 
Summary: One of the VERY best books I have ever read!
Review: I do not say lightly that this is one of the very best books that I have ever read! The multi-dimentional characters are vividly developed in a style that reminds me of authors David Lodge and Julia Alvarez. The author, Louis De Bernieres,displays a sweeping knowledge of the history and mythos of the Mediterranean world. Island life is displayed in both its beauty and its hardships. The book is a history, a romance, primer on musicology, an ascerbic political commentary, and a sociology of island life. While it is a great story of love gained, lost and regained, I think that its greatest message to our times may oddly be both moral and political. The book shows us the total moral bankruptcy and evil of all totalitarian regimes. The horrors of the Nazis were largely perpetrated 50 years ago, the "evil empire" of European communism has largely collapsed, but today, we still have the Taliban, ethnic cleansing, and the old evil of communism in the world's most populous country.How could the Greeks resist the fascists, then embrace communism and turn on their countrymen? It can happen anywhere. Corelli's Mandolin shows us much, much beauty of life. Yet it shows us that beneath that beauty, evil is sadly not far away. This good book also teaches us an important lesson: if you truly love someone, let nothing, absolutely NOTHING stand in your way. Move heaven and earth for them. True love may be more noble than honor. Don't wait!
Rating: 
Summary: endless
Review: The general praise for this novel and the encomiums from friends suggest that perhaps my own negative reaction should be greeted with even greater skepticism than the usual dyspeptic bromide found here. But the seemingly interminable book requires the reader, once again, to surrender to the belief that peasants were happier than are we and had some special wisdom that we have lost as we've distanced ourselves from nature and the earth. De Bernieres himself sort of makes fun of this
viewpoint when, after the War, a Canadian poet comes to the Greek isle of Cephalonia :
He was the first in the new vanguard of Western romantic intellectuals with Byronic aspirations, and
he was looking for a simple house amongst simple people of the earth where he could get to grips
with the truly gritty realities of life.
Pokes fun, but this seems to be the entire point of the book. All of the islanders are achingly precious, their lives idyllic, their society charming, but then war comes, well actually, its not even the war, they're still fine when it's just the equally cute Italians, but then the Nazis come, and this wonderful culture is destroyed.
Here's my question though : everyone's always nattering on about how wonderful the lives of agrarian and aboriginal peoples were, how in tune with nature, at one with the land; so how come no one ever wants to be a peasant when they grow up, most especially the peasants themselves ? GRADE : C
Rating:
Summary: It's Greek to Me!
Review: Touching and haunting, like the sweet melody of a mandolin. At times comic, at times beautiful, it sweeps the viewer on a journey of vivid images and lingering memories. Compellingly written and audacious in it's vision of a Greece torn between man and nature. A Romance that delights the reader at every turn. Read it and your heart will melt for these two lovers. An important and satisfying book.
Rating:
Summary: A beautiful painting of words on the bloody canvas of war
Review: Bernieres' novel of love and war is filled with startling juxtapositions of tender love and the violent ambiguity of human nature. The richness of Bernieres' writing is deep and emotional without being maudlin. He captures the life of a small island, a paradise of simple life that has been raped by Fascism, Nazism and external violence that leaves its inhabitants both terrified and united. There is little "good" v. "evil" people here, but rather the oppressive influences and the horrific necessities of war placed on people. It is a lesson in history and human nature that shocks and warms the heart. This is a hopelessly romantic novel, yet does not fall prey to the saccharine platitudes of a typical romance novel. As the people of Cephallonia suffer the indignities that are imposed on them, we find the meaning of love, friendship and family. This book is heartwrenching and yet also heartwarming as Palagia lives a bewildering life of love and loss. The characters come to life and seem almost mythical in their beauty and horror. While most of the book takes place over several months, the latter part joltingly jumps by decades and loses some of its appeal in trying to bring together a final scene, that, though touching, seems strained and somewhat contrived. Nonetheless, the magical beauty of Bernieres' writing and his attention to detail render this novel as one of the best I have read this year. Read and Enjoy!
Rating:
Summary: overrated
Review: I read this book without having heard anything about it simply because my mother told me it was worth reading. While it certainly wasn't dreadful, I found it to be just okay. The beginning was enjoyable but during the last seventy pages or so, it became aggravating and inconsistent with the rest of the narrative. For some reason , I felt compelled to buy his first novel, "The War of Don Emmanuel's Nether Parts," and loved it, though it is consistently compared unfavorably to "Corelli's Mandolin." I found the "The War of Don Emmanuel's Nether Parts" to be much more humorous, interesting, and overall a more enjoyable book. So I recommend to anyone who found themselves annoyed with "Corelli's Mandolin" but still enjoyed de Berniere's writing style to read his first novel.
Rating:
Summary: Great book
Review: Captain Corelli's Mandolin is one of the most touching books I have ever read. It is a novel about the love between a Greek woman and an occupying Italian soldier, discussing themes like loyalty to your country, to your family, to your love, to friends. The plot has the potential to turn the novel into a melodramatic soup, but the author manages to avoid that by building a lot of historical detail around the love story.
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