Rating: 
Summary: Maybe the Pulitzer ain't what it used to be.
Review: After listening through half of the first audiocassette of this atrocious assemblage of adjectives, I hastened to the Amazon.com site to read what others had to say. I didn't want to believe that I was the only person in America who absolutely HATED this book. I was so glad to see that there are others who agree with me that this book is so poorly written as to be unintelligible. After having to rewind the tape and listen over and over to seven or eight passages in the first twenty minutes, I just gave up. I still have no idea what she was trying to say. And lest I run afoul of those who would label anyone who doesn't like this novel as stupid, I'm not--double major in German and English literature, 4.0 average. Believe me, Goethe she's not. And by the way, Annie, I get it. He has a weird chin. Get over it.
Rating: 
Summary: From a Nflders perspective.
Review: Though this book had some saving graces, like the author's lyrical writing style, I did not feel it was an effective presentation of a supposedly quaint community and it's characters, most of whom were ridiculous caricatures of themselves. As a Newfoundlander, I am fiercly proud of my home and its heritage, but I do not think that Ms. Proulx captured the essence of the hard-working, humorous and starkly beautiful island. She makes a valiant effort, but it is quite evident that she is writing from the outside looking in. The place names were amusing...there are many communities here with strange sounding names, but the places that end in -point, -arm, -bight et cetera all have to do with nautical terms. A killick claw is part of an anchor. Again, a good effort, but just not "right." In some cases it is as if she opened the "Dictionary of Newfoundland English" (a wonderful compilation that celebrates the colloquial aspects of our irish, english and french heritage) and stuck in archaic words at random. The scenery of the island is some of the most beautiful found anywhere in the world, yet she describes it as stark and desolate. I gathered that this was to set up an atmosphere that matched Quoyle's desolation, but again, I did not feel it was effective. And the subplots were just foolish. Petal was a laughable nightmare. Selling her daughters off into the black market? And no more is mentioned of it after? Quoyle is little more than a doormat to her whimsical extremes. The relationships of the characters were not overly impressive either. I managed to finish the book, and granted, I have read worse, but I was not overly pleased with the end result. I am anxious to watch the movie, to see if the screenplay is more effective in its relationships and interpretations.
Rating:
Summary: The waters are shallow........
Review: The plot starts out wonderfully. A 30-something failure of a man (Quoyle) meets with an abrupt change in life (dead wife, dead parents, massive inflow of cash) and finds himself moving to his ancestral home in Newfoundland with his Aunt and two daughters. He goes on to rebuild his life amidst an isolated harbor town populated with individuals that help him become a man.The story had much potential. It had a nice portrait of a 1990s era weak-mannered man bungling through life. It had the author's hint of individuality and interaction with nature creating a stronger and healthier character. Overall, the idea, thinking, and implied philosophy behind the book was excellent. Too bad that it was all lost in a sea of REALLY bad writing. I had trouble figuring out if Ms. Proulx was trying to write really bad poetry or if she was trying to write a novel. The book is filled with bad simile and sentence fragments. None of the book's characters develop fully. The artificial pirate dialect given to the locals really detracts from the realism (Arrrr!).
And the names... what were you thinking Ms. Proulx? Here's a few examples- Wavey, Petal, Bunny, Sunshine, The Aunt. It sounds like the cast of a sleazy and low budget 1970s Porno Movie. I'd give away the ending, but it is so bad that I don't want to spoil the complete let down. It's been done before... in a million TV soap operas. Look elsewhere.
Rating: 
Summary: Original, Entertaining, and Profound
Review: I love the quote by Douglas Glover that is in the cover of the novel: "Strikingly original, richly energettic...a stunning book, full of magic and portent." That really seems to capture the novel. The Shipping News is the story of Quoyle. Quoyle is a pretty huge loser who decides to relocate when his wife is killed in an car accident. He, along with his two daughters and his aunt, move to their ancestor's old home in Newfoundland. He finds a job at the local newspaper, and the family settles down amongst the huge cast of local eccentrics. Among those people, the family finally begins to learn about the things that had been missing in their lives (primarily, the ability to love), and they begin to learn how to be happy. The writing in the book is marvelous. Proulx invokes the most extraordinary images and metaphors which really enhance the reading of the novel. The characterizations and the character's insights are amazing. The Shipping News is a fabulous novel which will hopefully gain quite a few readings with the release of the movie.
Rating:
Summary: Good read.
Review: I tried this a few years ago and couldn't quite get into it--probably had more to do with me than the book. I tried it again, mainly because the movie will be released soon with Judi Dench playing the aunt. Although I am not convinced that it is Pulitzer material, I did like it very much.
The characters are well written, quirky and interesting. I found some aspects very funny--in a dark humor sort of way. I'm thinking here of the tale of the house, various parts of the sailor's body appearing, Quoyle's sort of gangling courtship.
This is not a book I loved so much that I'll hesitate to see the movie but it is a good, engrossing read.
Rating:
Summary: The Great White North
Review: The Shipping News is a wonderful book about the human spirit and human nature. Quoyle, a man in his thirties, has just lost his wife and moves with his aunt and two daughters to Newfoundland, his family soil. It is here that Quoyle will have to learn and cope with the death of his wife and learn how to care for and live with his two young daughters. The book is very post-modern. Short chapters, expressionistic prose and very litterate wording complement the story. Proulx has written a very engaging novel that forces you to pose yourself many questions about your own life. In a way, this book is an introspection on our own lives and miseries. In Quoyle, we find a character who's sadness and pain is very real and very present. Every page seeps with sadness. But every page also weeps with the beauty and mysticism of the great Canadian White North. Proulx, who spends half of the year living in Newfoundland, obviously love the North and her love is apparent in every page of the novel. It will be strange to see how Hollywood will adapt this wonderful novel. It is not an easy read nor is it a novel that has a plot per se. It is a slice-of-life story which is often sad, often ironic and often touching. There is also a lot of humour in the book, sweet and touching moments that brought smiles to my lips. This is a very rewarding read that will stay with me for quite a while.
Rating: 
Summary: you should really read the book, not my review!
Review: This book caught my attention with such a strong grip that I am currently studying it for an English assignment at school. While I could type pages about my thoughts on the book, I will try and save the full version for my english teacher and just give my first and foremost reactions to the novel. Ms. Proulx's writing style is unique and deliciously fresh - it flows freely but also weaves such a brilliant, passionate story. For me, the passion is in there, although it may be obscured from some people that get dragged down while looking for climaxes. The story of Quoyle is in some ways just an account of the life of an American man that has had a hard time, who finds his luck changing, but I felt that his story could carry on for volumes and volumes of books. There is a sensation of a fairy-tale while reading it - I think from the twists and incidents that spring from nowhere, for example, the discovery of the head (no spoilers as to whose head) in the suitcase. The names and place names also add to the fairytale-esqueness of the novel: the children - Bunny and Sunshine, and the various places around Newfoundland - Bloody Banks, Lost All Hope - they all keep the story interesting and quirky. The characters all have histories that merit a story each, but Ms. Proulx has managed to keep the right balance of mystery and background. I was particularly drawn to the character of the Aunt - she has suffered a lot at the hands of family, and although she found a few years of happiness, that too was taken from her too soon. She always seemes to account things as they should be, and not as they have been in her experience, forming a character that gets my sympathy, but even more, my respect. So maybe I have rambled a bit, but this novel has made many impressions on me - I think everyone will gain some insight from reading it. It also prompted me to read any other books I could find by E Annie Proulx - namely the short stories, Heart Songs. these have the same style and the same sense of providing a window into the lives of fascinating people that we may never be priveleged enough to meet in real life. Just one question though - how do you pronounce Proulx?
Rating:
Summary: Painfully convoluted text, slow dragging story
Review: I've read some of Proulx' short stories and enjoyed them quite a bit, so I was surprised by how much I did not enjoy this book. The language alternates between terse, abrupt sentences and long sentences that try for lofty descriptions and fail. The story was extremely slow-paced, which could have worked if I had cared about the characters, but I just could not.
Rating:
Summary: Truly well written book!
Review: Although the piece can be hard to understand sometimes because of the constant references to boating and Newfoundland it is a very well writen book. The characters are compelling and the anologies are great! I love the way Proulx uses the knots to help us understand the many stages of love and life in general. Quoule is a great,unique and complex character that will inspire you and teach you new things. Overall it was a fine read and I can't wait to see the movie with the great Kevin Spacey as Quoule.
Rating:
Summary: The Shipping Snooze
Review: I'm sorry but I couldn't resist. I can't be the only one who doesn't necessarily believe that because a work of fiction wins a prize(okay, the Pulitzer is very prestigious....whatever) doesn't necessarily mean it's a work of art. (...)
I'm not a literary thespian, believe me, but I can't imagine another audience Ms. Proulx could have been writing for. Certainly not the average reader who are happy with a good story well told and maybe a little more to think about.
I'm sorry, Ms. Proulx. But I just didn't get it.
Mostly, I found the writing style to be so annoyingly eccentric. It was very difficult to get a handle on. And Ms. Proulx' use of description goes past annoying to dumb-founding. I wound up not caring one iota for any of the characters.
It was so bad for me that, no less than 5 times did I swear I wouldn't read another word and thought about something else to read.
I loved other Pulitzer winners like "The Hours" and "A Thousand Acres". They were both thought-provoking, extremely well-told stories.
(...) I can't even give it more than 1 star.
Please God.....let the movie be better.
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