Birdsong
Oh my god. Just finished it and it's unbelievable.
It's so, so sad and moved me so much. I actually felt that the characters were real and got really absorbed in the book.
I was in tears at the end, so emotional and I never ever cry at books or films. The love that Stephen had for Isabelle was just incredible.
Best book I've read.
Any thought on it? Did Isabelle really love Stephen?
It's so, so sad and moved me so much. I actually felt that the characters were real and got really absorbed in the book.
I was in tears at the end, so emotional and I never ever cry at books or films. The love that Stephen had for Isabelle was just incredible.
Best book I've read.
Any thought on it? Did Isabelle really love Stephen?
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I wrote to Sebastian Faulks to tell him how much I enjoyed his book and I got a very nice reply from him. I've never written to any other author and I don't make a habit of it.
Yes, a wonderful book.:)
Really, that's nice of him to do that. I was thinking of looking on his website to send something myself because I think he has an exceptional talent if he was able to write a book like that.
Do you have any thoughts on whether Stephen was in love with Jeanne? Or was Isabelle in love with Stephen or did she just use him for passion?
Its a while since I read it... I am going to re-read it. But, yes I thought Isabelle loved Stephen and vice-versa.
One of the best parts for me was the sub-plot about Jack Firebrace, I really found his story moving, about his son, John... so sad.
I also loved the passages about the Battle of the Somme, they were so poignant. In fact, for me the love affair and the 1970s chapters were secondary to the great tragedy of the war itself and how that affected the characters and the society they lived in, then and later.
I thought the Somme chapters were very harrowing, as was
It's definitely made me think a lot more about WWI and how it affected people.
I've just found an unread copy of 'Human Traces' - Result.
I've not enjoyed his other books anywhere near as much
Not bad, but not exceptional.
As a WWI book "All Quiet On the Western Front" leads the way.
I felt more for Jack Firebrace than Stephen, and found the story about his tragic son and Jacks outburst of grief when faced with his own death very moving.
I also felt that Stephen was a mixed up individual and didn't do enough to pursue Isabelle considering the passion they felt early on in their relationship.
The trench story was very powerful and the descriptions of the men waiting to climb the ladder knowing they were walking into death as they went over-the-top was very well written. I can't begin to understand the emotions they must have felt.
I feel like reading it again now I think about it. Must be the sign of a good book.
It has been adapted for TV and is on BBC1 next Sunday night.
Early reviews say it is very good.
Thanks Nailz, seen that and my PVR is already set.It certainly looks good from the promos, apparently it's been in development for years and they dropped the idea of a feature film to adapt it for TV.