FMFs origional book swap circle: A prayer for Owen Meany

[Lulumama]

Well, i gave it my best shot. And i just could not do it!! I borrowed this off a friend a while ago, and could not get stuck into it then. I tried again, but, i just could not connect with this book, i found the writing style exhausting and could not empathise with the characters. Just could not get into it .

My best friend rates this as one of her all time desert island books, and we have really similar taste in books, but i just could not get to grips with it

sorry

[RubySlippers]

i heart this book!

it is a stupendous, blockbuster of a novel and utterly compelling

it is hard work but worth it

i like some of his other books - try "A widow for one year"

[Lulumama]

well, we cannot possibly be twins if you liked it so much !! am not convinced , am sure i tried to read something else of his, and failed

[Elasticwoman]

Owen Meany was the first John Irving I ever read and I did find it very original and compelling, but haven't felt the same about his other work, eg The World According to Garp.

ALL THOSE CAPITALS scream at you a bit don't they Lulu?

[FrannyandZooey]

oh god I love Owen Meany! I am not in the book circle, will I get drummed out for posting on here? [fear]

anyway I saw John Irving reading from the book in person and it helped me enormously to enjoy and understand the character

the way he did the voice was VERY FUNNY
I can hear him now - "LIBERACE! KILLED BY WATERMELONS!"

[Elasticwoman]

Book circle? Any one can post, Fran.

[Scampmum]

I am reading it now and really enjoying it, though the shouting is getting to me slightly. I am weirdly sensitive to typeface/layout, though . I have lost it somewhere in the house in the last two days - very irritating. Bloody pregnancy brain.

[Lulumama]

god the shouting ! it just finished me off, i am quite sensitive to noise yes, the world according to garp, it was just so mammoth!!

[FrannyandZooey]

it's the book circle swop thread

they might like only PROPER members on it

[Lulumama]

you are proper enough, frances!

[FrannyandZooey]

Oh well if I am Miss Frances on here then I certainly am vair proper

[Lulumama]

[WigWamBam]

I told you it was hard going, Lulumama! But (IMO) it's well worth sticking with. A lot of the story seems irrelevant and it seems to flounder a bit in the middle but once you get to the end, it all comes together and makes complete sense.

I found it completely compelling - full of humour, irony, pathos and humanity. Owen isn't a particularly sympathetic character but that's part of his charm really. I've read it again and again, and although I'm not particularly sentimental, I still find it devastatingly moving every time I read it.

[Lulumama]

you must be my RL best friend! that is just what she said about it... the boook is on my bed side table staring at me.. i am going to have to try again!