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Summary: Best novel I've ever read
Review: The historical events dealt with in the story are not well known in my country, Australia, although we have hundreds of thousands of Greek immigrants. This story used well timed humour amongst a background of tragedy, human goodness and on the other hand, depravity to make it an unforgetable read. Excellent!
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Summary: A charming and moving tribute to a Greek island
Review: This book begins and ends with wonderful characters. It starts with a humorous and picaresque portrait of life on a sleepy Greek island and the absurd politics of the time (WWII). But then the island is swamped in modern warfare and the second half of the book is quite tragic. Yet the characters remain powerful and backed by a sense of history. I was transported, moved and taught something about life.
Rating: 
Summary: Very, very good.
Review: Funny, sad, and heart-warming without being corny. The characters and the sometimes borderline surreal-ness of their lives reminded me a bit of ONE HUNDRED YEARS OF SOLITUDE by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. If you like Marquez, you'll like this book. Be patient at the beginning though - you won't realize how good it is until after it's over. But the ending felt a bit contrived. Anyway, great stuff.
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Summary: This is a wonderful love story set against the horror of war
Review: I adored this story of love, lust, fear and war set in the Mediteranean. Perfect prose and intimate detail left me begging for more from this author, and as I finished the book I found myself turning to the front to begin again. I will not forget Captain Corelli and Antonia and their extraordinarily beautiful tale.
Rating:
Summary: Beautiful
Review: This book is just beautiful. It deals with the subject matter with a lightness of touch and subtlety of language, makes you smile through the tears, brings home the true awfulness of war, but shows you joy and laughter and happiness all the same. Read it, you won't regret it.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful
Review: Corelli's Mandolin is a beautiful love story repleat with an accurate historical background, lively humor and poetic prose. It is an amazing book; by the time I read half-way through I unconsciously slowed down to savor the story, visions and sounds that much longer. I can't wait to read everything else he wrote!
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Summary: A lyric of love
Review: A superbly crafted story of a woman caught in the throes of transition from deep tradition to the modern world. For Pelagia Iannis the cost of transition is heavy. Daughter of the village's widower doctor, she is caught up in global forces beyond her ken. The imperial ambitions of Italy's dictator, Benito Mussolini, bring the Italian army of occupation. Among the troops is Captain Antonio Corelli, artillery officer and musician. An unwitting and hesitant imperial minion, he is billeted in the Iannis household. Although the doctor urges passive resistance, Pelagia, although committed to a partisan youth, is drawn to Corelli's musical talents and unworldly charm. De Bernieres weaves an intricate tale of love, war, humour and pathos with unrivaled skill. His characters sparkle with realism, an aspect permeating this outstanding work. His descriptions of the interactions of the differing nationalities and ideologies ring vividly true.As he builds the story through the characters and events, de Bernieres gives little away. There are continual surprises as events twist and bend the characters. Some break, others find a means to extricate themselves from a tangling fate. Pelagia bears the main burden throughout. Her love for Corelli, after a fitful start, blossoms, then is tested by the swirl of events. Other characters come into her life, remain or depart. All make some impact as de Bernieres adroitly builds her role. Each chapter becomes a minor tale in its own right, with all tied together flawlessly. Characters and events are imparted with meticulous detail, yet, like a Mozart opera, not one word would bear excision. If you like a story that successfully ranges over a variety of issues and people, you will seek far and wide to surpass this tale. De Bernieres' skills in portraying life's complexities, yet maintaining reader attention and interest are peerless. He has clearly build his work on thorough scholarship - there's even a source list at the end. His sweeping view will leave you exhilarated and breathless, but fulfilled. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]
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Summary: A book that will have you laughing and crying simultaneously
Review: Like other readers I struggled with this book for the first two chapters, but after that became entirely engrossed and I was so glad I stuck with it! Louis De Bernieres has truly written a masterpiece. I kept checking on how many pages I had left as I didn't want to leave the idealic island of Cephallonia. The characters created are incredibly warm, real and very funny but just when you least expect it you are shocked to read graphic descriptions of war and its devastating effects. This will be a novel that you will always remember. A true literary masterpiece that entertains every step of the way.
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Summary: Awesome Book!!!!
Review: My grandfather brought this book for me from England, saying that he had heard great reviews about it. Though a little aprehensive at first, because I know how his book selection can be, I found myself in love with this book. I couldn't put it down and would stay up late into the night hoping that Corelli would return to Pelagia. I am 15 and have given Captain Corelli's Mandolin to my English teacher to read because it is a truly inspiring and great book. It shows the the torture of lost loves, and beauty when the two lost loves are finally reunited. I fell in love with this book, and now I wish I hadn't read it so fast, but instead, savored every last word of it. The vocabulary used is tantalizing, making this book a masterpiece. He joins things together, never once mentioning something that didn't have some sort of importance later on down the road. Everybody should read this book........I have a long line waiting after my English teacher!!
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