Following THE TROUBLESOME OFFSPRING OF CARDINAL GUZMAN, a novel set on a Greek island in 1940 about the eternal triangle that develops between a doctor's daughter, her fisherman fiance and a young officer who is billeted in the doctor's house.
Captain Corelli's Mandolin (Vintage Classics)
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Captain Corelli's Mandolin is set in the early days of the second world war, before Benito Mussolini invaded Greece. Dr Iannis practices medicine on the island of Cephalonia, accompanied by his daughter, Pelagia, to whom he imparts much of his healing art. Even when the Italians do invade, life isn't so bad--at first anyway. The officer in command of the Italian garrison is the cultured Captain Antonio Corelli, who responds to a Nazi greeting of "Heil Hitler" with his own "Heil Puccini", and whose most precious possession is his mandolin. It isn't long before Corelli and Pelagia are involved in a heated affair--despite her engagement to a young fisherman, Mandras, who has gone off to join Greek partisans. Love is complicated enough in wartime, even when the lovers are on the same side. And for Corelli and Pelagia, it becomes increasingly difficult to negotiate the minefield of allegiances, both personal and political, as all around them atrocities mount, former friends become enemies and the ugliness of war infects everyone it touches.
British author Louis de Bernières is well known for his forays into magical realism in such novels as The War of Don Emmanuel's Nether Parts, Señor Vivo and the Coca Lord and The Troublesome Offspring of Cardinal Guzman. Here he keeps it to a minimum, though certainly the secondary characters with whom he populates his island--the drunken priest, the strongman, the fisherman who swims with dolphins--would be at home in any of his wildly imaginative Latin American fictions. Instead, de Bernières seems interested in dissecting the nature of history as he tells his ever-darkening tale from many different perspectives. Captain Corelli's Mandolin works on many levels, as a love story, a war story and a deconstruction of just what determines the facts that make it into the history books. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.
Review
"'Louis de Bernieres is in the direct line that runs through Dickens and Evelyn Waugh... he has only to look into his world, one senses, for it to rush into reality, colours and touch and taste'" (Evening Standard )
"'An emotional, funny, stunning novel which swings with wide smoothnes s between joy and bleakness, personal lives and history... it's lyrical and angry, satirical and earnest'" (Observer )
"'A master of haunted realism. His best novel yet. He deals with death and love and tragedy...This is a novel to be prized'" (Daily Mail ) --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.
"'An emotional, funny, stunning novel which swings with wide smoothnes s between joy and bleakness, personal lives and history... it's lyrical and angry, satirical and earnest'" (Observer )
"'A master of haunted realism. His best novel yet. He deals with death and love and tragedy...This is a novel to be prized'" (Daily Mail ) --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
31 of 36 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Winner of the Commonwealth Writers Prize in 1995, Captain Corelli's Mandolin follows for sixty years the life of Pelagia and those who love her, beginning in World War II, when she and her father, a doctor on the small Greek island of Cephalonia, first get drawn into the war. Attractive and intelligent, Pelagia thinks herself in love with Mandras, an illiterate Greek fisherman who leaves for war. When the island is overtaken by the ineffectual Italian army, Captain Antonio Corelli is billeted in their small house. Corelli, whose response to "Heil, Hitler" was once "Heil, Puccini," is a musician, a mandolin player, who quickly establishes a singing group (meeting in the company's latrines) in preference to waging war. By the time the wounded Mandras returns, Pelagia and Corelli are in love.
Author deBernieres vividly depicts the various political movements which play out in Cephalonia--the Italian occupation; the German "cleansing" in which the Germans, nearly defeated in Europe, exact revenge on the Italians who have, with a change of government, withdrawn their support; and the later Communist insurgency in Greece and their opposition by fascist partisans. Always connecting these events to the lives of Pelagia, her father, Mandras, and Corelli, the author gracefully depicts the impact of political changes on the lives of ordinary people.
The horrors of the German revenge on the Italians reflect the wartime mentality and contrast with the good feelings various participants have been able to engender on a personal level. With the withdrawal of the Italians and Germans, the horrors of internecine warfare within the Greek community, and the extremes to which partisans, including Mandras, are willing to go are subjected to microscopic views.
DeBernieres is equally adept at contrasting idealistic young love with the institutionalized mindlessness of political passion, the love of the arts and history with the expediencies of political dogma, and one's personal commitments to other individuals with the commitments to ideologies. Realistic at the same time that it is also romantic, the novel conveys the absurdities of politics and places them within the context of real life. The author's exuberant, descriptive style enlivens the present in Greece while also emphasizing the culture of the past, leading the reader to recognize, ultimately, that in all times, wherever one finds wit and humor, one also finds pathos lurking in the background. Mary Whipple
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
By Young Stevie
Format:Paperback
This book is a fantastic read that starts toward the end of World War 2 and covers generations.
The tale tells of a young Greek girl and an eccentric Italian Captain finding love during the Italian "occupation" of the Greek island of Cephallonia, although the Italian army hardly treats it as such due to disenchantment with having to fight for reasons & ideals they do not share with their leaders.
The author creates extremely tangible scenes, people & feelings that you're left feeling like you really knew the characters & places.
There are a few strange plot-holes but this in no way detracts from the overall story and I was actually quite gutted that it had to end!
A really good read that everyone will enjoy & appreciate I think.
The tale tells of a young Greek girl and an eccentric Italian Captain finding love during the Italian "occupation" of the Greek island of Cephallonia, although the Italian army hardly treats it as such due to disenchantment with having to fight for reasons & ideals they do not share with their leaders.
The author creates extremely tangible scenes, people & feelings that you're left feeling like you really knew the characters & places.
There are a few strange plot-holes but this in no way detracts from the overall story and I was actually quite gutted that it had to end!
A really good read that everyone will enjoy & appreciate I think.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
one of my favourites of all time, as it is not only hilarious and romantic, but vividly descriptive and horribly tragic, all at the same time. whatever you do, don't watch the film! it's a terrible attempt to recreate the magic of the novel, and fails badly.
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4.6 out of 5 stars
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Heartwarming Classic
Brilliant, well written book based on true events.
A tragic love story set during the second world war. Read more
A tragic love story set during the second world war. Read more
Published 4 days ago by John Dawson
5.0 out of 5 stars
A must read
I never saw the film but this book was recommended to me and now I'm recommending it to everyone else.
Published 22 days ago by ruth Portway
5.0 out of 5 stars
magical
I read this book some years ago and was swept away by the magical setting and zany, almost Catch 22-style storyline. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Coojy
5.0 out of 5 stars
Superb
As usual with Louis de Bernieres a cracking good read.
Quite "wordy" but wonderful and very informative about the war and the effect on other European countries. Read more
Quite "wordy" but wonderful and very informative about the war and the effect on other European countries. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Janey Dal
2.0 out of 5 stars
Sent it back
I needed a certain edition for my A-Level - the one that is in this picture. However, it turned out to be an older edition when I got it, so I had to send it back
Published 1 month ago by Miss Earnshaw
4.0 out of 5 stars
A realistic Greek novel
Anybody – like myself – who loves Italy and Greece, will be enthusiastic about this novel. It is not only a story of love, but a description of Italian and Greek mentality,... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Arne Gunnarsjaa
5.0 out of 5 stars
A true classic
A wonderful piece of modern literature that will surely become an enduring classic. You will laugh and cry along with this cast of richly painted characters and fall in love with... Read more
Published 2 months ago by Bob
5.0 out of 5 stars
A truly wonderful book
Agree wholeheartedly with the other 5 star views .... this is a wonderful read that will quietly draw you in. One thing to mention 'tho. Read more
Published 3 months ago by MR S PAGE
5.0 out of 5 stars
Thoroughly enjoyed this emotional journey
This book has sat on my shelf for quite some time, having become over addicted to the use of the Kindle, but finally I decided it was time to read the book. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Michelle Muckley
5.0 out of 5 stars
Don't even think about watching the film before you've read this
This is one of my favourite books ever. It's so complex and written in such a beautiful way. The film manages to cut out some of the most pivotal and explanatory scenes.
Published 3 months ago by Mike
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