Rating: 
Summary: The war of Don Emanuelle's nether parts
Review: Brilliant! A captivating and funny book filled with romance, passion and confrontation. Tender in parts ,aggressive in others truely a typical DeBernieres novel. Those familliar with his later written ,and more well known "Captain Correli's mandolin" may find this book a little more violent and political than his later peices, also the romance element is far less prominent. Unfortunately those who like their fictional novels to take a non-fictional slant may be put off by some of the more outlandish plot developements, however this shouldn't put you off the book completely. If anything the "weird and wonderfull"(yet sometimes not so pleasant) events of the book help to accentuate the passionate emotions present throughout the novel. A great read for anyone who appreciates a little peculiarity, adventure and suspense in a novel.
Rating: 
Summary: Strong novel that owes much to Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Review: De Bernieres' first novel owes a great deal to Gabriel Garcia Marquez's 100 YEARS OF SOLITUDE. It's to de Bernieres' credit that this novel goes beyond mere pastiche and claims its own intellectual and artistic territory.At once grim and hilarious, THE WAR OF... traces a swirl of events that occur within a fictional (and unnamed) South American country, focusing on the inhabitants of a single village. The language is strong, the imagery clear and effective. The story is drenched in absurdism and magic realism (two favourite subjects of mine), occasionally going a little too far with such (particularly towards the end). Pacing is uneven - a persistant problems with first novels - and it may take a little work and effort to get past the first 50-odd pages, to where the book's energy and direction takes form. But soldier on - despite its flaws, this is an intelligent, well-written book, solidly worth your time. (I've yet to read de Bernieres' other novels, but I plan to track them down, based on the strength of this book. That's one of the best recommendations I can give, frankly.)
Rating:
Summary: South America comes to a local bookstore.
Review: Great characters. Magical story. Corruption, greed and salvation. Humans being humans.
This book has everything and I really can't recommend this book highly enough. I found Correlli's Mandolin convoluted and dragged out, although a brilliantly written book. I found this and the other two books in the trilogy to be masterful works full of passion, truth and wit. The theme of magic running throughout is fantastical and fantastic, the characters real and lovable. When a character dies, as they have a habit of doing, you are taken aback and upset, you care about them and is there a higher praise than that?
Anyone who thinks that this book lacks gravitas is mistaken; De Berniere's pen is so light that he is able to fully deal with the political situation in South America without becoming bogged down in moralising or political dogma.
De Berniere deals with life and death and the injustices that surround us as only a gifted writer with a soaring imagination can. I read in other people's reviews that he has borrowed heavily from other works, but seeing as I have never read these works this book is as crisp and fresh to me as "Rock around the clock" must have been when Bill Haley released it.
I did have problems with the list of characters that De Berniere introduces in this book, but I started again when I got to page 50 and wrote out who was who whenever anyone new was introduced. My friend who lives in Spain just reckons it is that I am not used to Spanish names as opposed to poor characterisation that led me to this confusion, and I have to agree.
I read this book on a cliff top overlooking the Atlantic in May during a heat wave and was taken to South America with the heat and dust, the valleys and forests. I even developed a worrying accent in the pubs at night. A hard read, but once you enter it, it is one of the easiest books you will ever read.
I loved it.
Watch out for Hectoro, a character who gets better and better throughout the trilogy.
Rating:
Summary: Hilarious, will improve your mood immediately
Review: I bought this after 'Mandolin,' expecting something similar. This expectation was not met - this book is completely different in style and form, but still displays his marvelous use of language. In any case, two of us in the house read the book by turns at the same time, reading each other bits out loud. It is one of those books where you read passages several times to enjoy the turn of phrase. The book is absolutely marvelous, no matter to the similarity to '100 Years...' Not for the faint of heart though, nor the chaste; this book is filled with graphic torture and sex.
Rating:
Summary: A humorous account of magic and coincidence in South America
Review: I'm not a fan of Marquez, so I was hesitant to read this book; the comparison is apt, as both write tales of South America with a fantastical edge. De Bernieres, however, posesses a fine wit and a skill for story-telling that is reminiscent of Dickens and John Irving. Following the exploits of the fine cast of characters in a phantom banana republic inspired in me a frenzy of page-turning that is usually reserved for the best of thrillers. Yes, it's a cliche, but I couldn't put this one down; I needed to see what each quirk of fate would bring, and more importantly, I needed to howl at the great gags buried in every page. If you love to laugh and relish a fine, eccentric plot-line, De Bernieres is certainly for you.
Rating:
Summary: a laugh out loud fun read
Review: In his mythical South American country, De Berniers weaves the romantic and the corrupt into an ambitious and easy to read first novel. His characters are wonderful (rude, snobby, corrupt, irreverant, mystical, romantic)--the only problem with the novel is that it tries to do too much and leaves us wanting more. I can't wait to read the next one in the series!
Rating:
Summary: Neisseria's notable triumph!
Review: In this opening salvo of a trilogy on Colombian society and politics, de Bernieres demonstrates his outstanding abilities. His descriptive powers are vivid, often chilling, in conveying what humans are capable of perpetrating on one another. He produces characters that prance over the pages in a tantalising dance, challenging you to predict their next outrage or fallacy. The story is intricately woven through a loom of surprises, tragedies, and disasters. There are light moments, but they leave you wondering what depth of misfortune is likely to follow. Lest this analysis leave you feeling the book is depressing, take heart. The author portrays solemn realism, but swifts and butterflies of hope and satisfaction will reward the reader, even if their passage seems evanescent.
The "war" is more than simply the manifestations of one man's loins. Don Emmanuel is but one soldier in a wider context. De Bernieres is here campaigning for a broader sense of justice than this semi-imaginary society has been experiencing. What is the justice in a village gathering to defend a local, perhaps the last, virgin from salacious soldiers, only to have a grenade slaughtering the inhabitants. The army, supposedly called up to defend the nation, proves its most rapacious element. How to halt their depredations becomes the focus of this intricately woven tale. In one deliciously described sally, the village uses a local, well, "experienced", young women to visit the army's camp with her charms - and infections, such as neisseria [google it!].
This thinly disguised tale of modern Columbia's stresses depicts a society topped by an oligarchy of vested interests. "Right" and "Left" are but easily swopped labels by elements that have no essential differences. The "natural rulers" are buttressed by a compliant church, which is far more concerned with its own interests than that of the resident peasantry. This agrarian foundation of the country, who have little enough for themselves, occupy remote villages while underpinning the urban society. They are ready victims, easily manipulated or simply ignored. Their attackers are many and defenders few - yet it is typical of de Bernieres' sense of irony that among their champions stands an Army General.
That de Bernieres has copped many awards is adequate testimony to his prowess. He entertains and informs with equal verve. A dash of fantasy added to this story brings home the fact that "religion" is a term requiring expanded definition. The new definition would encompass human feelings more intimately than our present models. Death, never welcome, becomes something less than absolute in this author's hands. If the images he depicts are but our memories of lost loved ones, perhaps we should spend more time celebrating them. These and other questions permeate this book while prompting us to confront and judge our own values. If that's de Bernieres' intent, he's succeeded admirably.
[stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]
Rating:
Summary: very one hundred yearsy, but so what?
Review: Like many other readers of Don Emanuell's I decided to read it after reading Captain Corelli's Mandolin. Two extremely different books,and though I didn't think I would ever say this, Captain Corelli being the most moving book I ever read,thankfully so. Hugely enjoyable.Although it is completely different from One Hundred Years of Solitude, there are many similarities that could have been easily avoided, e.g mention of an insomnia plague, having characters called Remedios - there was no need for such obvious 'passing nods'. But forget about comparisons, don't expect it to be Captain Corelli's Mandolin, and then enjoy. I agree, possibly too many characters.DeBernieres definitely has the talent of making you cry both from laughing and from sadness. I ask whose heart doesn't melt on reading the two Virgin's chapter?
Rating:
Summary: A sharp, funny, educating and thought-provoking book.
Review: Perhaps it's not fair to compare a first novel like this with a later, more acclaimed novel from the same author some years later. But as I had just finished "Captain Corelli's Mandolin" before starting "The war of Don Emmanuel's nether parts", I cannot help relating the two. 'Don Emmanuel' is a dazzling patchwork, seemingly encompassing all aspects of every Latin-American country you can think of. De Bernieres makes it abundantly clear he comes prepared for the topics he wants to tackle; there is evidence of meticulous research throughout the book. As such, each chapter is brilliant in its own right, though there seems to be a certain desire to show off, perhaps understandably so in a debut novel. Some of the threads are overdone, and some are inflated to the point of becoming ridiculous. Personally I could have done without the many scenes of excessive violence and torture. "Corelli" also has its grim share of atrocities, but these are not being exaggerated, and they are a logical and even inevitable part of the story. Besides restraint, what "Don Emmanuel" lacks is coherence. The wild and woolly sequence of brilliant chapters somehow does not quite add up to a story. At least I could not figure out where the book was trying to go to. This is not being helped by the insufficient development of the main characters. Whereas in "Corelli" one can readily identify with Pelagia, the doctor, and the captain, it's not quite clear who are the main persons here. Having said all this, "Don Emmanuel" is still a hugely enjoyable book, sharp, funny, educating and thought-provoking. Though not for the faint-hearted or those with a romantic disposition.
Rating:
Summary: A wonderful quixotic adventure!
Review: The fanciful adventures of De Bernieres are memorable and magical! A must read (along with Corelli's Mandolin and The Troublesome Offspring of Cardinal Guzman). His writing style is brilliant and heartily entertaining.
|
