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Безумна всеотдайност
Новата книга на авторката на „Птицит� умират сами� отново доказва майсторството ѝ да пресъздава живо дълбоките чувства и страсти на героите.
На остров в Тихия океан, в болнично отделение за душевноболни войници, полудели или с нервни кризи вследствие на преживяното по време на бойни действия, завеждащ отделението е сестра Онър Лангтри. Нийл Паркинсън не може да се примири със смъртта на поведените от него в неравен бой хора; Мат Сойер страда от слепота, дължаща се на самовнушение; Бенедикт Мейнард полудява, след като ротата му открива огън по село, пълно с жени и деца; Нъгет Джоунс е неизлечим хипохондрик; Люк Дагет - жесток и корумпиран тип, е изпратен в отделението от висши офицери, за да се отърват от него. Всеки един от петимата пациенти е посвоему влюбен в нея.
Пристигането на сержант Майкъл Уилсън превръща болничното отделение във вулкан от чувства, предначертаващи трагедията на сестра Онър Лангтри, разкъсваща се между безумната всеотдайност към медицинската си професия и любовта към него.
На остров в Тихия океан, в болнично отделение за душевноболни войници, полудели или с нервни кризи вследствие на преживяното по време на бойни действия, завеждащ отделението е сестра Онър Лангтри. Нийл Паркинсън не може да се примири със смъртта на поведените от него в неравен бой хора; Мат Сойер страда от слепота, дължаща се на самовнушение; Бенедикт Мейнард полудява, след като ротата му открива огън по село, пълно с жени и деца; Нъгет Джоунс е неизлечим хипохондрик; Люк Дагет - жесток и корумпиран тип, е изпратен в отделението от висши офицери, за да се отърват от него. Всеки един от петимата пациенти е посвоему влюбен в нея.
Пристигането на сержант Майкъл Уилсън превръща болничното отделение във вулкан от чувства, предначертаващи трагедията на сестра Онър Лангтри, разкъсваща се между безумната всеотдайност към медицинската си професия и любовта към него.
320 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1981
258 people are currently reading
1,336 people want to read
About the author
Colleen McCullough
119books2,969followersColleen Margaretta McCullough was an Australian author known for her novels, her most well-known being The Thorn Birds and Tim.
Raised by her mother in Wellington and then Sydney, McCullough began writing stories at age 5. She flourished at Catholic schools and earned a physiology degree from the University of New South Wales in 1963. Planning become a doctor, she found that she had a violent allergy to hospital soap and turned instead to neurophysiology � the study of the nervous system's functions. She found jobs first in London and then at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut.
After her beloved younger brother Carl died in 1965 at age 25 while rescuing two drowning women in the waters off Crete, a shattered McCullough quit writing. She finally returned to her craft in 1974 with Tim, a critically acclaimed novel about the romance between a female executive and a younger, mentally disabled gardener. As always, the author proved her toughest critic: "Actually," she said, "it was an icky book, saccharine sweet."
A year later, while on a paltry $10,000 annual salary as a Yale researcher, McCullough � just "Col" to her friends � began work on the sprawling The Thorn Birds, about the lives and loves of three generations of an Australian family. Many of its details were drawn from her mother's family's experience as migrant workers, and one character, Dane, was based on brother Carl.
Though some reviews were scathing, millions of readers worldwide got caught up in her tales of doomed love and other natural calamities. The paperback rights sold for an astonishing $1.9 million.
In all, McCullough wrote 11 novels.
Source:
Raised by her mother in Wellington and then Sydney, McCullough began writing stories at age 5. She flourished at Catholic schools and earned a physiology degree from the University of New South Wales in 1963. Planning become a doctor, she found that she had a violent allergy to hospital soap and turned instead to neurophysiology � the study of the nervous system's functions. She found jobs first in London and then at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut.
After her beloved younger brother Carl died in 1965 at age 25 while rescuing two drowning women in the waters off Crete, a shattered McCullough quit writing. She finally returned to her craft in 1974 with Tim, a critically acclaimed novel about the romance between a female executive and a younger, mentally disabled gardener. As always, the author proved her toughest critic: "Actually," she said, "it was an icky book, saccharine sweet."
A year later, while on a paltry $10,000 annual salary as a Yale researcher, McCullough � just "Col" to her friends � began work on the sprawling The Thorn Birds, about the lives and loves of three generations of an Australian family. Many of its details were drawn from her mother's family's experience as migrant workers, and one character, Dane, was based on brother Carl.
Though some reviews were scathing, millions of readers worldwide got caught up in her tales of doomed love and other natural calamities. The paperback rights sold for an astonishing $1.9 million.
In all, McCullough wrote 11 novels.
Source:
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 152 reviews
August 16, 2022
An "indecent obsession" is a strange book. Is quite different from anything else I've read by Colleen McCullough. This book didn't captivate me at the beginning but it became more catchy with time. The story is good and I felt the feelings that the characters felt. The confusion, the pain and the illusion became real in her words. I recommend this book if you like post-war stories or exploring the human mind and behavior.
Plus since she's one of my favourite authors I can't help but to like it.
Plus since she's one of my favourite authors I can't help but to like it.
January 15, 2020
This book portrays perfectly the human nature at its best and its worst.
I don't understand the low rating of this novel.
I thought it was really good.
As I was reading it, it felt like the author took the "most notorious" characters of the world daily life, and put them all together to create a powerful story.
Honour Langtry - a courageous nurse - "the normality"
Michael Wilson - the haunted sargent - "the good"
Luce Daggett - the soulless sargent - "the evil"
Neil Parkinson - the lost capitan - "the conscience"
Benedict Maynard - the volatile - "the mad"
Matt Sawyer - the blind - " who sees with the heart"
Nugget Jones - the hypocondriac - "the attention seeker"
I don't understand the low rating of this novel.
I thought it was really good.
As I was reading it, it felt like the author took the "most notorious" characters of the world daily life, and put them all together to create a powerful story.
Honour Langtry - a courageous nurse - "the normality"
Michael Wilson - the haunted sargent - "the good"
Luce Daggett - the soulless sargent - "the evil"
Neil Parkinson - the lost capitan - "the conscience"
Benedict Maynard - the volatile - "the mad"
Matt Sawyer - the blind - " who sees with the heart"
Nugget Jones - the hypocondriac - "the attention seeker"
December 18, 2020
"A auxiliar Langtry recomeçou a caminhar, num passo vivo e sem medo, compreendendo-se finalmente a si mesma. E compreendendo que o dever, a mais indecente de todas as obsessões, era apenas um outro nome para o amor."
Este foi o terceiro livro que li da Sra. Colleeen e foi, para mim, o mais fraquinho, não porque a história ou a escrita fosse má, mas acho que estava com as expectativas muito altas. O primeiro livro que li dela, Pássaros feridos, lido na adolescência, causou-me na altura tamanho impacto que fiquei com uma sensação de tristeza por aquelas personagens e pelo seu fim. O segundo, As senhoras de Missalonghi também foi uma leitura bastante prazerosa e adorei a Missy. Ora, depois de ter lido estes dois livros, esperava ficar arrebatada também com esta Obsessão indecente, o que infelizmente, não se verificou.
Neste livro temos uma luta entre o dever e o amor. O dever de Honour Langtry enquanto enfermeira, que é abalado pela chegada de um novo paciente à sua enfermaria. A chegada de Michael à enfermaria X (dedicada aos pacientes com problemas mentais desenvolvidos durante a 2.ª Guerra Mundial) vem agitar a harmonia e as rotinas dos pacientes, assim como o interior da Honour e sente-se que a tragédia está iminente, apesar de os homens terem aceitado bem o novo paciente.
O romance seria inevitável, no entanto, após a caracterização da enfermeira como uma pessoa cheia de presença de espírito, de sensatez, de noção de dever e de um carácter bastante vincado a relação dos dois pareceu-me pouco verosímil, pois Michael pareceu-me um pouco raso e pouco desenvolvido.
Gostaria de ter gostado mais deste livro, mas tal não se proporcionou.
Este foi o terceiro livro que li da Sra. Colleeen e foi, para mim, o mais fraquinho, não porque a história ou a escrita fosse má, mas acho que estava com as expectativas muito altas. O primeiro livro que li dela, Pássaros feridos, lido na adolescência, causou-me na altura tamanho impacto que fiquei com uma sensação de tristeza por aquelas personagens e pelo seu fim. O segundo, As senhoras de Missalonghi também foi uma leitura bastante prazerosa e adorei a Missy. Ora, depois de ter lido estes dois livros, esperava ficar arrebatada também com esta Obsessão indecente, o que infelizmente, não se verificou.
Neste livro temos uma luta entre o dever e o amor. O dever de Honour Langtry enquanto enfermeira, que é abalado pela chegada de um novo paciente à sua enfermaria. A chegada de Michael à enfermaria X (dedicada aos pacientes com problemas mentais desenvolvidos durante a 2.ª Guerra Mundial) vem agitar a harmonia e as rotinas dos pacientes, assim como o interior da Honour e sente-se que a tragédia está iminente, apesar de os homens terem aceitado bem o novo paciente.
O romance seria inevitável, no entanto, após a caracterização da enfermeira como uma pessoa cheia de presença de espírito, de sensatez, de noção de dever e de um carácter bastante vincado a relação dos dois pareceu-me pouco verosímil, pois Michael pareceu-me um pouco raso e pouco desenvolvido.
Gostaria de ter gostado mais deste livro, mas tal não se proporcionou.
September 17, 2015
Prescindibile
Speravo di ritrovare in questo romanzo l'epico sentimentalismo di "Uccelli di rovo" o la struggente delicatezza di "Tim" o il fascino della grandiosa saga storica che ha affrancato Colleen McCullough dall'etichetta di scrittrice romantica.
Inutilmente.
McCullough è una narratrice consumata, padroneggia con sorprendente perizia la parola scritta, conosce e domina alla perfezione tutti i trucchi del mestiere; ma questo libro resta soltanto una gradevole parentesi di svago.
Bella la storia, attraenti o inquietanti al punto giusto i personaggi, i probi e i malvagi, "l'onore e il rispetto": una fiera di buoni sentimenti cristallizzati che non dà alcuna emozione.
Speravo di ritrovare in questo romanzo l'epico sentimentalismo di "Uccelli di rovo" o la struggente delicatezza di "Tim" o il fascino della grandiosa saga storica che ha affrancato Colleen McCullough dall'etichetta di scrittrice romantica.
Inutilmente.
McCullough è una narratrice consumata, padroneggia con sorprendente perizia la parola scritta, conosce e domina alla perfezione tutti i trucchi del mestiere; ma questo libro resta soltanto una gradevole parentesi di svago.
Bella la storia, attraenti o inquietanti al punto giusto i personaggi, i probi e i malvagi, "l'onore e il rispetto": una fiera di buoni sentimenti cristallizzati che non dà alcuna emozione.
June 13, 2011
Unless the author's point in writing the book was to show that human values and motives have changed so much since the 1940s that they are no longer recognizable as rational, I don't know what this book was about. I kept reading, thinking that something would unfold that would make the rest fit together, but no. No clue why Michael chose to devote his life to keeping Benedict from killing again, or why it's presented as a noble rather than disturbed plan. No clue why Honour would "allow" Michael to make that sacrifice. No idea why, upon hearing of Michael's death, Honour reverts to thoughts of Neil. Deep sigh at having spent three afternoons reading this tangle.
May 25, 2014
Not what I thought it would be, but intriguing enough I went back and started rereading it as soon as I turned the final page. Great portrait of a nurse and her patients, all of whom suffer with PTSD. Ironically, the nurse doesn't even realize she has it. She is a pretty annoying character with little self-awareness or knowledge. Thus when she falls for a new patient she convinces herself he's normal and never sees his PTSD nor his love of killing. She also misses the violence of another patient, as well as the sincere call for help of the resident psychopath. Clueless but determined to martyr herself for "duty". Completely unconscious of the sexual feelings she arouses in the men. I really disliked her as you can tell. But a brilliant portrayal by McCullough. Very well-written.
August 24, 2018
Norėjau mesti įpusėjus. Tada prasidėjo veiksmas. Paskui atsirado dejavu. Kino filmas, štoli, koks oskarinis buvo? Nes jei buvo, tai turėjo būt nominuotas. Ir kai vėl atėjo noras mesti, pasibaigė. Tai visą laiką tarp 2* ir 4,5* (o buvo ir labai gerų vietų) makalavausi.
July 9, 2016
This book is about a Australian Army Nurse, Honour Langtry, and the mental patients she is caring for in a small facility in the tropics towards the end of the 2nd World War. A sixth patient, Michael Wilson has just arrived and has disturbed the dynamics of the small group. This is the story of these patients, their relationships with each other and with Nurse Langtry. There are confronting issues, choices to be made which at times appear to be flawed.
It is interesting to read about the daily life in an army hospital, with numbers decreasing and an imminent return home. Also I learnt something about the history of psychiatric nursing and the low regard for nurses working in mental facilities at that time.
I enjoy reading Colleen McCullough books. I find they take a little effort but is very rewarding. I like the way that her characters evolve through the book. This is a very stimulating read with much to think about.
It is interesting to read about the daily life in an army hospital, with numbers decreasing and an imminent return home. Also I learnt something about the history of psychiatric nursing and the low regard for nurses working in mental facilities at that time.
I enjoy reading Colleen McCullough books. I find they take a little effort but is very rewarding. I like the way that her characters evolve through the book. This is a very stimulating read with much to think about.
June 6, 2020
I was completely fascinated by this story! McCullough does such a wonderful job of seeing true human emotions and engaging them; the various twists and turns she added along the way were shocking and thought provoking. For a book to be written about patients who are suffering from PTSD before that became a medical condition, and seeing the treatment of these patients was interesting to read. I would highly recommend this book!
September 20, 2020
What the actual shit is this book. Seriously, the plot of this book is basically "homosexuality is a mental disease". There is so much problematic bullshit in this book around mental health, abuse of power, women's rights that its really not even worth reading. This is really just absolute trash.
I very much considered DNFing it but I'm glad I didn't because the end was just the most absurd thing I've ever read in a book.
This is not a romance. There is no smut. Run far far away.
I very much considered DNFing it but I'm glad I didn't because the end was just the most absurd thing I've ever read in a book.
This is not a romance. There is no smut. Run far far away.
July 4, 2016
Not one of McCullough's best books but far from the worst either. An interestingly angled story about the impact of war on people that cannot be seen, which remains apposite given the number of wartime vets the world over who remain essentially uncared for by the societies that have half destroyed them. Any voice that speaks for them is welcome to me.
August 16, 2015
3,5*. Um livro diferente. Um olhar diferente sobre os traumas de guerra. Não entendi a divisão do livro em tantas partes, para mim seriam somente duas.
February 7, 2019
yazarin diger kitabini daha cok sevmistim bu oldukca bogucu geldi acikcasi savas sonrasi travmasinda ki askerlerin ruhsal durumlari ve onlarla ilgilenen hemsirenin cok bilmisligi.Hemsirenin de ayni askerler kadar sorunlu oldugu belli ve dogru durust bir ruhsal saglikcinin yani uzman olarak olmadigi hastanede ki kaos. aslinda oldukca dusundurucu yanlarida olmasina ragmen gun isigi kumsal sahil deniz gibi yerler sözler gecsede yazilarda hep karanlikdaymisim izlenimi verdi hani tam karanlik olsa yine iyi camurumsu bir karanlik yani anlayacaginiz tam depressiv bir eser.yine de okunmaya deger diye dusunuyorum.
April 22, 2018
I'm probably going to get booed for this review, but here it goes: I did not love this book. As a matter of fact, for it being just 324 pages, it was one of the longest, most arduous books I have ever read.
I know Colleen McCullough wrote "The Thorn Birds", a critically acclaimed novel that was turned into a TV miniseries in 1983. I neither saw the movie nor read the book. I'd heard about it, but that's as far as it went. Everybody loved it. "An Indecent Obsession" was my first experience with this author.
This particular book is a paperback that I found in a box of books that was given to me by a friend after he found these books in his deceased mother-in-law's house. I was looking for something different. I found it in this book.
Sister Honour Langtry is a nurse on Ward X, where she is taking care of five men who were suffering from mental issues due to the war. To clarify, "Sister" in this book does not mean Nun. Each of these men has their own issue. One of them is a hypochondriac, one is blind, another is prone to extreme introversion. I can't remember what Neil was suffering from, but he was the only officer on the ward. Then there was Luce, who was just flat crazy and an instigator. Sis, as the men called her, was deeply involved with these guys, talking with them, taking tea with them, and basically hanging out with them and befriending them. But she secretly entertains love and romance with a few of them while they do the same with her.
All is well until Sergeant Michael Wilson shows up. Sis knows at an instant that he isn't at all like the others. He carries himself well, helps around the ward, and helps her take care of the patients. Sis fancies herself in love with him. She's had the same thought about a couple of the other guys, too, but Michael was different.
This book is like a study of the human dynamic, propelled by loneliness, during a dire time of war. The characters are provoking, the plot is tight albeit dry and even somewhat boring, but something kept me turning the pages. I wanted to know more. I wanted to know how all of this was going to end. I was hoping for a happily ever after and was disappointed that I didn't get it. It was more sad than anything.
The reasons mentioned along with impeccable writing, earned it four stars. The book is a difficult read with unexplained acronyms and old vocabulary to give it five.
I know Colleen McCullough wrote "The Thorn Birds", a critically acclaimed novel that was turned into a TV miniseries in 1983. I neither saw the movie nor read the book. I'd heard about it, but that's as far as it went. Everybody loved it. "An Indecent Obsession" was my first experience with this author.
This particular book is a paperback that I found in a box of books that was given to me by a friend after he found these books in his deceased mother-in-law's house. I was looking for something different. I found it in this book.
Sister Honour Langtry is a nurse on Ward X, where she is taking care of five men who were suffering from mental issues due to the war. To clarify, "Sister" in this book does not mean Nun. Each of these men has their own issue. One of them is a hypochondriac, one is blind, another is prone to extreme introversion. I can't remember what Neil was suffering from, but he was the only officer on the ward. Then there was Luce, who was just flat crazy and an instigator. Sis, as the men called her, was deeply involved with these guys, talking with them, taking tea with them, and basically hanging out with them and befriending them. But she secretly entertains love and romance with a few of them while they do the same with her.
All is well until Sergeant Michael Wilson shows up. Sis knows at an instant that he isn't at all like the others. He carries himself well, helps around the ward, and helps her take care of the patients. Sis fancies herself in love with him. She's had the same thought about a couple of the other guys, too, but Michael was different.
This book is like a study of the human dynamic, propelled by loneliness, during a dire time of war. The characters are provoking, the plot is tight albeit dry and even somewhat boring, but something kept me turning the pages. I wanted to know more. I wanted to know how all of this was going to end. I was hoping for a happily ever after and was disappointed that I didn't get it. It was more sad than anything.
The reasons mentioned along with impeccable writing, earned it four stars. The book is a difficult read with unexplained acronyms and old vocabulary to give it five.
March 18, 2021
Achei que os pensamentos e sentimentos das personagens são demasiado explicados, de uma forma um pouco exagerada e exaustiva, e as interações entra elas pareceram-me muitas vezes irrealistas e forçadas. A história podia ter compensado, mas não aconteceu... Lados positivos? Aprendi o que eram doentes troppo (soldados que combateram nos trópicos, mentalmente desequilibrados depois da WWII), e percebi melhor como foi o desenvolvimento do estudo das doenças mentais, ainda que muuito superficialmente.
O clímax da história não me cativou, e não gostei do final.
O clímax da história não me cativou, e não gostei do final.
November 29, 2012
Arghh....What happened? Was this written by the same Colleen McCullough who wrote my all time favorite ? I don't get it. :( I couldn't even finish it. It was way too wordy and yet, absolutely nothing was happening...
June 27, 2010
another recent re-reading after many years absence! I do love Col's books they are so dense with detail and yet the plot moves along at a great pace. Another recent bargain from a book sale for an original edition hardback copy.
August 9, 2014
I liked it very much, was unprepared for the ending (which I find much more enjoyable than anticipating correctly exactly what will happen). McCullough can draw you into the characters and place when she is writing at her best.
June 23, 2013
A book about war, from a different perspective. About PTSD when it was called Shell Shock and the way it was handled. About complex characters which interested me straight away. Stark and intriguing reading.
December 16, 2013
Read this novel quite a few years ago...found it a compelling story of a nurse who is taking care of soldiers who have wounds. When a new man arrives, there is something that draws her particularly to him and this upsets the dynamic in untoward ways. Will anyone ever be the same?
June 6, 2009
Interesting read.
May 6, 2014
At work today, all I could think about was coming home and finishing this book! So great.
September 12, 2014
Bit slow to start but loved the twists and the shocking ending!!!
January 9, 2021
Este livro é estranho, não parece totalmente articulado nem organizado. A maior parte da história está centrada em Hounor Langtry, uma enfermeira a prestar serviço numa enfermaria de casos psiquiátricos durante a parte final da II Guerra, na Austrália. Nesta época pouco se sabia de casos mentais e Hounor foi acompanhando os 5 homens que ali estão e aprendendo a conhecê-los e a tratar os seus problemas. Entretanto, chega Michael Wilson, jovem educado e atraente, que servirá de catalizador aos habitantes da enfermaria X. Acompanhamos a enfermeira até ao desmantelar da unidade, ao regresso a casa e às escolhas posteriores (e esta parte, apesar de interessante, está completamente desgarrada do resto). A forma de viver e organizar o trabalho e tudo o que nos é contado são aspetos interessantes. Há alguns episódios mais significativos e acontecimentos chocantes, mas tudo segue um curso que não se desvia e é aqui que falta qualquer coisa. Interessante, especialmente no que diz respeito às tatefas da enfermeira e aos homens de quem cuida e ao que passaram na guerra, mas não uma obra prima. As personagens estão bem, mas não me encantaram especialmente, não são muito carismáticas.
August 20, 2018
I haven't read a Colleen McCullough since I was a teen, but the premise caught my eye, ww2 nurse looking after soldiers who'd gone 'troppo'. McCullough does great dialogue and the characters are distinct and wonderfully Australian. The subject matter a little grim but still fascinating. The only thing with the POV was she head hopped a bit and a few times I had to wonder who was sharing their thoughts. I guess I would have liked a different outcome to the story but glad I picked this up to read.
October 27, 2018
Set in a military hospital in the waning weeks of WWII somewhere in Indonesia, although it never specifies the place - just the jungles & the tropics. The story centers on Honour Langtry, a nurse in charge of the psychiatric Ward X , and the men that occupy it. They have become a sort of family but when a new "patient" arrives, he upsets the dynamics and becomes the catalyst for underlying emotions and actions to erupt affecting them all.
July 23, 2023
'An Indecent Obsession' is a captivating story by Colleen McCullough that tells you about the complicated relationships between Sister Honour Langtry and her patients at Ward X. It's worth reading if you like Colleen McCullough or romance, even though it's undoubtedly inferior to 'The Thorn Birds'.
June 1, 2021
Strong characters, atmospheric setting, but fell short at the end.
The gay panic storyline was dated. And by dated I do mean homophobic. Ick.
The gay panic storyline was dated. And by dated I do mean homophobic. Ick.
December 29, 2015
Depois de ter lido A Bibliotecária de Auschwitz (opinião que será publicada a seu tempo), pareceu-me bem envergar pelo mundo dos livros da Colleen. Foi uma bufada de ar fresco. Sendo ela uma das escritoras que apimentou o meu gosto pela leitura tinha tudo para ser uma agradável leitura. Pássaros Feridos, um dos seus livros, foi o responsável pela minha primeira direta a ler... tão bom.
Este livro inicia-se com o fim da guerra, em que na base 15 é criada a Enfermaria X, com a finalidade de ajudar militares tropo. Isto é, militares afetados pela guerra, com problemas mentais criados durante esta fase marcante. Estes militares não são necessariamente doentes mentais. São apenas pessoas que a dada altura chegaram ao seu limite. Tende a ser passageiro.
A enfermeira Honour Langtree é a responsável por esta emfermaria, tenta ajudar os seus doentes, dá o seu melhor, mesmo sabendo que por vezes não é o suficiente. Ao fim ao cabo não é a sua área... Langtree tem ao seu cuidado 5 doentes que lhe são muito queridos. Quando acha que será pouco provável aparecer um novo doente, visto que a guerra terminou, é quando surge o misterioso Michael. Sabe desde o início que esta nova entrada irá destabilizar os restantes doentes, apenas não deixa transparecer esse facto.
Inicialmente, Michael é mal recebido pelos doentes. Principalmente por acharem que este novo doente irá roubar o tempo que a enfermeira dispõe para cada um. A realidade é que todos os doentes desenvolveram sentimentos pela única mulher que vêem em anos, cada um à sua maneira ama a enfermeira. É-lhes difícil lidar com esta nova presença. Apenas não estavam a contar gostar de Michael, visto ser alguém tão prestável e simpático.
Langtree e Michael sentem-se atraídos, o que levá-los-á ao amor. É uma relação condenada logo à partida, Michael é um doente. De parte a parte tentam lutar contra um sentimento que em nada contribui para o bem estar da Enfermaria X...
Este é um livro muito leve e ao mesmo tempo pesado, dada a carga psicológica presente. É fácil ler um livro da Colleen, muito em parte devido à sua escrita. Uma obsessão indecente é um bom livro mas não tão bom como os que já li desta escritora. Talvez porque habituei-me a conhecer a Austrália pelos seus olhos, neste livro isso não está presente. Dada a abordagem diferente da 2º Guerra Mundial este livro ganha a minha admiração. Talvez peque um pouco pelo final, por ser tão inesperado e ao mesmo tempo necessário. Adorava que a Langtree tivesse sido um pouco egoísta. Mas isto já sou eu a implicar com mais um final...
No fundo, gostei de reencontrar-me com a escrita da "minha" Colleen.
Este livro inicia-se com o fim da guerra, em que na base 15 é criada a Enfermaria X, com a finalidade de ajudar militares tropo. Isto é, militares afetados pela guerra, com problemas mentais criados durante esta fase marcante. Estes militares não são necessariamente doentes mentais. São apenas pessoas que a dada altura chegaram ao seu limite. Tende a ser passageiro.
A enfermeira Honour Langtree é a responsável por esta emfermaria, tenta ajudar os seus doentes, dá o seu melhor, mesmo sabendo que por vezes não é o suficiente. Ao fim ao cabo não é a sua área... Langtree tem ao seu cuidado 5 doentes que lhe são muito queridos. Quando acha que será pouco provável aparecer um novo doente, visto que a guerra terminou, é quando surge o misterioso Michael. Sabe desde o início que esta nova entrada irá destabilizar os restantes doentes, apenas não deixa transparecer esse facto.
Inicialmente, Michael é mal recebido pelos doentes. Principalmente por acharem que este novo doente irá roubar o tempo que a enfermeira dispõe para cada um. A realidade é que todos os doentes desenvolveram sentimentos pela única mulher que vêem em anos, cada um à sua maneira ama a enfermeira. É-lhes difícil lidar com esta nova presença. Apenas não estavam a contar gostar de Michael, visto ser alguém tão prestável e simpático.
Langtree e Michael sentem-se atraídos, o que levá-los-á ao amor. É uma relação condenada logo à partida, Michael é um doente. De parte a parte tentam lutar contra um sentimento que em nada contribui para o bem estar da Enfermaria X...
Este é um livro muito leve e ao mesmo tempo pesado, dada a carga psicológica presente. É fácil ler um livro da Colleen, muito em parte devido à sua escrita. Uma obsessão indecente é um bom livro mas não tão bom como os que já li desta escritora. Talvez porque habituei-me a conhecer a Austrália pelos seus olhos, neste livro isso não está presente. Dada a abordagem diferente da 2º Guerra Mundial este livro ganha a minha admiração. Talvez peque um pouco pelo final, por ser tão inesperado e ao mesmo tempo necessário. Adorava que a Langtree tivesse sido um pouco egoísta. Mas isto já sou eu a implicar com mais um final...
No fundo, gostei de reencontrar-me com a escrita da "minha" Colleen.
November 3, 2015
What a dreary, sad and dull place the world would be if everybody was as dutiful and obsessed with their (self imposed) obligations as our two protagonists here. I am not saying everybody should just do as they please without consideration for anyone else or the consequences, but how Nurse Langtry and Michael go out of their way to sabotage their chance of possible happiness is really extraordinary. Out of the seven people in ward X four end up dead in the end, what an outcome!
I didn't think I would like a book as much as I liked this one in spite of eventually hating the main characters. I thought I only liked a book if I could at least somewhat relate to a character, but the more the story went on the more I got enthralled by it and the less I liked Nurse Langtry (see, I can't even bring myself to call her Honour, that is how distant I feel) and Michael. What a couple of self righteous martyrs!
That being said, the story was told in such a way that I could not put it down. I wanted to know what was going to happen next and how the blooming romance (if you can call it that) would turn out. I actually started out liking Luce and the way he rattled everybody's cages, but later on I felt rather satisfied about his fate, I am sorry to say. Especially after what he did to Nurse Pedder. That poor woman let him do what he did and never even noticed that she was - in fact - raped. Bizarre!
The end was a bit odd with Nurse Langtry thinking of and considering Neil again. That guy had a close shave indeed. He can consider himself lucky he didn't end up with her. Why she tought about going back to him, I have no clue. Good thing she decided against it and instead fulfilled "her duty", because, you see, nobody does it as well as she does. Neil would have possibly been misled into thinking she actually loved him when in reality their relationship would have been a matter of careful deliberation.
I love Colleen McCullough's writing style and her love to detail a lot and once more she did not disappoint me.
I didn't think I would like a book as much as I liked this one in spite of eventually hating the main characters. I thought I only liked a book if I could at least somewhat relate to a character, but the more the story went on the more I got enthralled by it and the less I liked Nurse Langtry (see, I can't even bring myself to call her Honour, that is how distant I feel) and Michael. What a couple of self righteous martyrs!
That being said, the story was told in such a way that I could not put it down. I wanted to know what was going to happen next and how the blooming romance (if you can call it that) would turn out. I actually started out liking Luce and the way he rattled everybody's cages, but later on I felt rather satisfied about his fate, I am sorry to say. Especially after what he did to Nurse Pedder. That poor woman let him do what he did and never even noticed that she was - in fact - raped. Bizarre!
The end was a bit odd with Nurse Langtry thinking of and considering Neil again. That guy had a close shave indeed. He can consider himself lucky he didn't end up with her. Why she tought about going back to him, I have no clue. Good thing she decided against it and instead fulfilled "her duty", because, you see, nobody does it as well as she does. Neil would have possibly been misled into thinking she actually loved him when in reality their relationship would have been a matter of careful deliberation.
I love Colleen McCullough's writing style and her love to detail a lot and once more she did not disappoint me.
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