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Wen's Reviews > The English Patient
The English Patient
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On a rainy Saturday, Michael Ondaatje was on the Podcast introducing his new novel Warlight. It just felt the right time to do the long-overdue catchup on his best-known book. I pretty much finished in one sitting, and was totally blown away.
Several World War books have already made to my all-time favorite list: Atonement, All the Light We Cannot See, Songbird, just to name a few. The English Patient has easily found itself a spot there.
If you haven’t read the book, most likely you have watched the amazing Academy-winning film adaptation. So I’ll spare you of the plot summary. The book gave more ink to the love story between Hana and Kip; it was more quiescent and evolving than the dramatic revelation between Almasy and Katharine. The book delivered the narratives in non-linear spurs, whisking through time and location, experience and impression, apprehension and perception. it all fit as two of the four main characters survived on morphine. I appreciated the breadth and depth through the exquisite and poetic prose, yet failed to meet the back cover with conviction; several permutations all more or less made sense. But this was exactly the unique beauty of the book.
Several World War books have already made to my all-time favorite list: Atonement, All the Light We Cannot See, Songbird, just to name a few. The English Patient has easily found itself a spot there.
If you haven’t read the book, most likely you have watched the amazing Academy-winning film adaptation. So I’ll spare you of the plot summary. The book gave more ink to the love story between Hana and Kip; it was more quiescent and evolving than the dramatic revelation between Almasy and Katharine. The book delivered the narratives in non-linear spurs, whisking through time and location, experience and impression, apprehension and perception. it all fit as two of the four main characters survived on morphine. I appreciated the breadth and depth through the exquisite and poetic prose, yet failed to meet the back cover with conviction; several permutations all more or less made sense. But this was exactly the unique beauty of the book.
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Reading Progress
May 19, 2018
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May 20, 2018
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May 20, 2018
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Roger
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rated it 5 stars
May 20, 2018 11:31AM
I think I heard that podcast, or a similar interview, just after I read Warlight. I am struck by how much simpler his later writing is than this, though missing its scale of possibility too. Perhaps I too ought to go back to it to see what else I can discover? Thanks for the comment on my review. R.
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Roger wrote: "I think I heard that podcast, or a similar interview, just after I read Warlight. I am struck by how much simpler his later writing is than this, though missing its scale of possibility too. Perhap..."Thanks for the hint Roger. The Podcast was from NPR. Think I'll put off Warlight--so many other authors to catch up. Very impressed by your keen insight. . Will track your reviews more closely onward. :)
Terrific review Wen, I’ve been wanting to read this for quite some time, I’ve never seen the movie so I’m glad of that.😊
Karen wrote: "Terrific review Wen, I’ve been wanting to read this for quite some time, I’ve never seen the movie so I’m glad of that.😊"Then enjoy them in that order, Karen. It is a great movie, not to be missed in its own right, but only one of the possible alignments of Ondaaje’s puzzle pieces. R.
Roger wrote: "Karen wrote: "Terrific review Wen, I’ve been wanting to read this for quite some time, I’ve never seen the movie so I’m glad of that.😊"Then enjoy them in that order, Karen. It is a great movie, n..."
Thanks Karen. Totally agreed with Roger. A movie can rarely match the scope of a sweeping literary marvel like this one, but in this case, it did connect with me in a more visceral way and draw the characters closer.
Oh I always like the book better and will always read the book first!
Karen wrote: "Oh I always like the book better and will always read the book first!" Agreed totally. I prefer reading the book first too. I was a movie fan way before being a bookworm, so had watched many classics before reading them, and found some movies pretty much matched the book, like Gone With The Wind and Sophie's Choice. More recently The Martian, I much liked both the movie and the book, just differently.
I adore this book. I read it in translation, I keep hoping they'll do an audiobook for it, which will mean I'll be more likely to fit it in.
Bianca wrote: "I adore this book. I read it in translation, I keep hoping they'll do an audiobook for it, which will mean I'll be more likely to fit it in."Hopefully I will fit it in this year🤞🏼
Karen wrote: "Bianca wrote: "I adore this book. I read it in translation, I keep hoping they'll do an audiobook for it, which will mean I'll be more likely to fit it in."Hopefully I will fit it in this year🤞🏼"
I so want to read it in English. I still have some of the images seared into my mind. I hope you'll find it as rivetting as I did.
Bianca wrote: "Karen wrote: "Bianca wrote: "I adore this book. I read it in translation, I keep hoping they'll do an audiobook for it, which will mean I'll be more likely to fit it in."Hopefully I will fit it in..."
Me too😊
Wonderful review, Wen !
Yes ladies I actually listened to the audio.
Thanks Angela. I saw you liked it too :
Fantastic review, Wen! I have yet to read this book or anything by Ondaatje. I know I am certainly missing out!
Your review is beautiful, Wen! May be the nudge I needed to finally get to this one.
Candi wrote: "Fantastic review, Wen! I have yet to read this book or anything by Ondaatje. I know I am certainly missing out!"Thanks Candi. I did put this one off for a long time because the movie stuck with me for years. Ondaatje's prose took me to places that the movie couldn't reach. My first one by him, and he wowed me. I'll circle back for sure.
Kathleen wrote: "Your review is beautiful, Wen! May be the nudge I needed to finally get to this one."Thanks Kathleen. I hope you get to it soon. :)
Wen wrote: "Yes ladies I actually listened to the audio."I looked it up on Audible and on the library audiobook drives and nothing. The library did have it on CD, but I usually listen via the apps on my mobile/cell.
Bianca wrote: "Wen wrote: "Yes ladies I actually listened to the audio."I looked it up on Audible and on the library audiobook drives and nothing. The library did have it on CD, but I usually listen via the app..."
Bianca, I got the book through this link.
The iPhone app is okay but I prefer Audible. First time I have found an audio book I wanted not available on Audible.
You mentioned Songbird - who is the author? I tried looking it up and it was all Romance Novels and I assume one of them is not on your list with ATLWCS and Atonement...
