Overview From Barnes and Nobel
In the summer of 1953, two eleven-year-old boys - best friends - are playing in a Little League baseball game in Gravesend, New Hampshire. One of the boys hits a foul ball that kills the other boy's mother. The boy who hits the ball doesn't believe in accidents; Owen Meany believes he is God's instrument. What happens to Owen, after that 1953 foul ball, is extraordinary and terrifying.Today I will write a Review!! A book Review. I finished A Prayer For Owen Meany by John Irving last week. To say it was a powerful book would not be telling you the truth. It was a struggle to read for the most part. I zipped through the beginning. The part that describes Owen Meany and his friend, the narrator, John Wheelwright. And then we get to the 'guts' of the book. It went on and on and on.I had decided I didn't like Owen Meany at all. He seemed a bit spoiled, a bit pompous, a bit smug. But by the time I had gotten to the last, long chapter I was more than hooked. I was praying for Owen Meany myself. I knew he was going to die. We had known that for a good part of the book. But I knew I didn't want to let him go.Because like every character in the book, I was in love with this little guy. One of those books that you want to never end. Because the end is the reason for the beginning. The very first sentence of the book says it all:
"I am doomed to remember a boy with a wrecked voice-not because of his voice, or because he was the smallest person I ever knew, or even because he was the instrument of my mother's death, but because he is the reason I believe in God; I am a Christian because of Owen Meany." Even the author will tell you this is the most important sentence in the entire book.
I give A Prayer For Owen Meany 5 solid stars *****. This will be one of those books you will never forget. I know I won't!! As Owen Meany would say, everything happens for a reason...
I do remember having the same thoughts when I read the book now about 10 years ago. It is definitely a very good book. I too agree with the 5 stars!
ReplyDeleteGreat review!
betty
Thank you Betty!
DeleteGreat review Paula. It's on my to read list.
ReplyDeleteThank you Wendy!
DeleteAdding this to my list.
ReplyDeleteYou will like it Holli!
DeleteI read it so long ago that I didn't remember the story - but I remember being glad I read it.
ReplyDeleteYes, a good book Red!
DeleteOK I'll be adding this one to my ever-growing list!
ReplyDeleteMine is always being added to. I am sure we will never get to the end of our lists!
DeleteI heard about this one but have never read it.
ReplyDeleteYou should give it a try Liz!
Deleteand you worked it into your AZ challenge
ReplyDeleteYes, I did!!
DeleteI was wondering how this would turn out for you, given what you wrote as you started the book. Told the whole story without telling the whole story!
ReplyDeleteThe second sentence in my comment doesn't even make sense because there is something missing. What I thought I typed was that the first line of his book tells the whole story without telling the whole story. I'm blaming my fever . . . even though it's down from yesterday.
DeleteI hope you are better Gram. I wondered, too, if I was going to like it since it was such slow going for awhile!
DeleteI hadn't intended to put this on my fledgling short-list ... but your review's changed my mind!
ReplyDeleteYou will enjoy it I'm sure!
DeleteSounds interesting and powerful. Like the others, I'll add it to my list. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteNot a problem Lynda. That is how I find most of my books is by someone else's recommendation!
DeleteI'm so glad you liked it! I get nervous when I rave about books and others pick them up. :-)
ReplyDeleteI love it Allison. You never lead me astray!!
Deletegood review
ReplyDeleteThank you Denise
DeleteAh, how funny that we both had that "everything happens for a reason" phrase in our "R" posts and came at it from different places. I had not read your "R" post until now--mine was written and scheduled in advance. My Tuesdays and Thursdays are long, busy days because I am in evening classes after a full day of work.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I am glad you loved this book. I loved it too, as I think I mentioned in a comment on a previous post. I felt the same way you felt in the middle at some points in the book--and in some of John Irving's other works as well--but I almost always push through because I have learned to trust Irving's vision. A couple of his books have been so good that when they ended, I was tempted to start them over again right away. :)
I will have to look into reading more of his books!
DeleteI do believe that everything happens for a reason. I think I will have to add this to my list. Thanks Paula
ReplyDeleteI know that this is one you will really like Wendy!!
DeleteJust borrowed this one. ;-)
ReplyDeleteYou will enjoy, I am sure!
Delete