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Original poster

A Prayer for Owen Meany

59 replies

Illhaveawhitewineplease · 17/11/2010 20:38

My first post on MN and thought I would start here rather than the scary AIBU...
So, based on rave reviews and a personal recommendation, I started reading the above. Am now on page 132 and have so far not been drawn in.

I am finding the lack of chronology quite trying i.e. his mother was alive, then she was killed, then she was alive again, then there were a load of statistics about the Vietnam War, then it was back to the aftermath of the mother's death.
Is it like this all the way through? Why should I persevere?

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Tangchi · 30/12/2010 17:07

Ten years on this is still my most favourite book I have ever read! Please keep going xxxx

BelligerentYhoULE · 30/12/2010 17:03

I didn't like An Interpretation Of Murder but really enjoyed his next one.

Original poster
Illhaveawhitewineplease · 29/12/2010 22:32

So, I FINALLY finished Owen Meany and I have to say it did improve. The 2nd half was a vast improvement on the 1st. The pace picked up a bit and I managed to engage with the characters a bit more - particularly towards the end.

Overall, though, I have to say it was a bit of a disappointment and I don't think I will be revisiting John Irving. Based on that one book I just think he's not my bag.

I am now about 10 pages into The Interpretation of Murder by Jed Reubenfeld and I hope it delivers.

Thanks for all your input, ladies, and I hope to get more of your recommendations for some decent books.

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booge · 19/12/2010 11:42

This thread has inspired me to reread it, one of my all time favourite books. I have enjoyed all the Irving books I've read but this one most.

MarkMarkMarkMark · 19/12/2010 11:31

It's a very very good book. There may be an over-abundance of discussion on the virtues of Episcopaleans (sp?) vs other flavours of Christianity - but Irving is a genius at showing you how people work and making you care. He's also very funny at times :)

amazonianwoman · 07/12/2010 14:05

One of my top 5 books ever Smile Must read it again...

thesecondcoming · 07/12/2010 10:33

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Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
Illhaveawhitewineplease · 07/12/2010 10:26

TSC - have you been to Quality Save? Soooo many bargains, I got loads or presents in there yesterday. A definite competitor for Wilkos (as per another thread).

Perhaps this is the wrong forum for such a discussion ;-). Back to Owen Meany...read about 6 pages last night. It's definitely a hard slog but I shall see it through. Might be finished by March.

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thesecondcoming · 07/12/2010 09:48

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fruitstick · 07/12/2010 00:03

It's my favourite book. It's too late now as I'm going to bed but will be back tomorrow!

LittlePushka · 06/12/2010 23:57

Illhaveawhitewineplease - will you come back and tell me the end when you have finished??

I have been in and out of this bloomin' book for ten years and I just cannot get into it...teeny tiny little font does not help and a book which is hard to get and which will make me cry for all the effort just does not do it for me!

Original poster
Illhaveawhitewineplease · 06/12/2010 23:44

TSC Chorlton

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singersgirl · 06/12/2010 23:27

Even though everyone raves about this, I thought this was one of John Irving's weaker ones. Maybe it depends which order you read them in, because they all become a bit samey after a while. So I loved Garp and Hotel New Hampshire, which I read first, and steadily tailed off.

I couldn't stand the way Owen's voice was written in capitals - didn't make me think high or squeaky, just shouty, so I internally bellowed every thing he said.

TheFarSide · 06/12/2010 23:23

It's my favourite book BUT it seems that not everyone emotionally connects with it.

I found the friendship and loyalty between the two boys very poignant, and I liked the idea that there is a higher being (even though I'm emphatically not a Christian). It's also a very humorous book.

But not everybody's cup of tea.

LittlePushka · 06/12/2010 23:19

Illhaveawhitewineplease - will you come back and tell me the end when you have finished??

I have been in and out of this bloomin' book for ten years and I just cannot get into it...teeny tiny little font does not help and a book which is hard to get and which will make me cry for all the effort just does not do it for me!

thesecondcoming · 06/12/2010 23:07

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
Illhaveawhitewineplease · 06/12/2010 23:02

thesecondcoming ironic that you were the first to reply. I've seen your posts on the local board and you live about a mile away from me...

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Original poster
Illhaveawhitewineplease · 06/12/2010 22:49

I'm still ploughing through the above - about half way now but still not gripped. The very fact that it has taken me about 2 weeks to read 200 pages is a little disappointing.

However, it is beginning to make more sense and I will see it through. I just hope I am rewarded at the end.

Thanks for all your replies, ladies, they have helped me to persevere.

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Northumberlandlass · 29/11/2010 13:08

I've just finished it. It has taken me a LONG TIME.
But at the end I got it.

I can't say it is one of my favourite books ever, BUT Owen Meany is one of my favourite characters.

It is well worth a read, but I was tempted to give up many times. But others should perserve to the end.

Bue · 19/11/2010 19:42

Own Meany has my favourite ending of any book, ever. It makes me tear up just thinking about the last page! It's so brilliant.

Cider House Rules and Widow for One Year also fab.

MarionCole · 19/11/2010 16:32

Love it, but not my absolute favourite Irving book, as you might guess from my name Smile

JeanLouiseFinch · 19/11/2010 16:32

It's the only John Irving worth reading, and it's one of the best endings of any book I've read. It actually has an ending rather than just a point at which it stops.

usualsuspect · 19/11/2010 16:30

One of my favourite books ever

MrsDanversBites · 19/11/2010 16:27

I'm with BG didn't live up to the hype imo

Tinkerisdead · 18/11/2010 22:00

Reading this with interest as i started it as i was reading the BBC's top 100 books but this one I just could not get into and I ditched it half way through...and I gave my copy away!

I'm going to have to reserve it at the library now arent I?