Readers who are entranced by sweeping historical sagas will devour Birdsong, Sebastian Faulks' drama set during the first world war. There's even a little high-toned erotica thrown into the mix to convince the doubtful. The book's hero, a 20-year-old Englishman named Stephen Wraysford, finds his true love on a trip to Amiens in 1910. Unfortunately, she's already married, the wife of a wealthy textile baron. Wrayford convinces her to leave a life of passionless comfort to be at his side, but things do not turn out according to plan. Wraysford is haunted by this doomed affair and carries it with him into the trenches of the war. Birdsong derives most of its power from its descriptions of mud and blood, and Wraysford's attempt to retain a scrap of humanity while surrounded by it. There is a simultaneous description of his present-day granddaughter's quest to read his diaries, which is designed to give some sense of perspective; this device is only somewhat successful. Nevertheless, Birdsong is a rewarding read, an unflinching war story and a touching romance.
Spotlight customer reviews:
Customer Rating: Summary: Under - welming Comment: Took this book on a recent 7 day holiday - it looked my sort of stuff.
Read about 40% of it then tossed it onto the holiday home library shelf and selected the best of what had been left.
Birdsong is tedious and poorly written. The characters are not engaging - it's just not worth the eye power in reading it.
A bit like the movie "Atonement" - it's not unpleasant, you could watch it, it will do no harm but there are many far far better films.
Birdsong is touted as a modern classic - it is no such thing.
Customer Rating: Summary: A slog Comment: I tried but it just didn't work for me. The descriptive narrative was a lot of effort for little progress. Customer Rating: Summary: Brilliant Comment: This book is amazing. I was so moved by the story, it is so well written it is like you are reliving the experineces of the characters and there with them through their ups and downs. I found it to be emotionally draining in places, but worth every second. Customer Rating: Summary: Amazing book. I simply could not put it down... Comment: Amazing book. I simply could not put it down. It made me cry in places and now my husband is reading it and finding the book equally moving. Stick at it, as its a slightly slow starter, but its worth the wait! Customer Rating: Summary: A cracking good read...... Comment: 500 pages as a paperback and been out since '94.. Quite meaty, but if you're in the mood for a compelling read I'd thoroughly recommend it. Read it about thrice now in the last ten years... The missus loves it as well, as it's not just the blood, guts, bombs, rotting flesh, rats and mud that was life on the front line during WW1. There's quite a bit of character building and relationship stuff thrown in for good measure. But if you stick with it, that bit fleshes out the story.
The claustrophobic knife edge existence the Sappers had in those days would have you a nervous wreck if it was 500 pages of that from start to finish. Thank God for mobile warfare I say and the fact that 'tunneller' is no longer a job in the British army.
A moving read, especially the Somme battles and you dispair for the callous way that thousands of lives were thrown away on a daily basis. Get yourself a copy and settle yourself down for a cracking good read....
