I read this book months ago, and am far too much in love with it to actually try to write anything elegant or eloquent enough to do it justice. And so, in a mere 150 words, here's why you should read this book:
Though Hemingway can be intimidating, he’s one of those
classic authors that should not be missed. True, his male characters are domineering
and his female characters often lack the punch we’ve come to expect from modern
writers, but if you can accept these truths, his works drive home the realities
of everyday life, of love, of war, and of the search for oneself. For Whom the Bell Tolls, often
considered one of his greatest works, is no exception. The novel tells the
story of Robert Jordan, an American volunteer in the Spanish Civil War, and his
fast-paced romance with the young Maria. Hemingway’s stark prose serves only to
highlight the horrors of war, and the gruesome realities of human nature; For Whom the Bell Tolls requires a
strong stomach, a bit of patience and a box of tissues, but it is one of the
finest war novels every written.
Oh, and also, this puts me one step closer to completing my 26 by 26 list.
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For Whom the Bell Tolls | Ernest Hemingway | Scribner | 1940 | 480 pages | Buy from an independent near you
Ok, so now I'm rethinking my Hemingway choice for the classics club list! I chose A Farewell to Arms, but I think it'll be good as well. I'm hoping! I'll admit it'll be my FIRST Hemingway. So. Glad to hear I'm in for good things. And sometimes you can't write out a full review for that very reason!
ReplyDeleteBeth - I think For Whom the Bell Tolls might be my favorite so far, but I did love A Farewell to Arms, as well. They are both war novels and love stories in their own way, though also very different. I hope you like Hemingway! I find it takes me a while to get into a Hemingway novel, but once I'm in, I'm hooked to the end. His style can be tough at first, though.
DeleteIt's been a few years since I read this one. There are some aspects I loved, but the one thing I didn't was Hemingway's inability to write a female character that felt real to me.
ReplyDeleteThis one is my very number one most favorite. I'm glad you enjoyed it. As far as Beth's questioning this vs. Farewell, I have a very strong preference for the Bell, but that's just me; numerous readers go the other way. (If anything, I think They like Farewell slightly better on the average.) Beth, I hope you read and love either/or!
ReplyDeleteMelissa, yours is a classic complaint about Hem and about this book. I actually enjoy Maria, although I recognize the major flaws in writing her. But Pilar? She's a kick-ass woman, no?
Agreed that Maria, despite being flawed, isn't entirely awful. And Pilar is definitely kick-ass!
DeleteYou've nudged me toward thinking about reading this novel. I've read other Hemingway novels and haven't loved them, but I did love his nonficition that I read (Green Hills of Africa). It's been over 10 years since I read him. I might enjoy him more now, though Lord knows when I'll get around to reading anything not already lined up :)
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