perfect mixture
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What a fantastic read this was. I had thought it was going to be humorous book about books - and it is - but it's so much more too. The story of how the islanders lose their innocence is full of originality and is witty, dramatic, deep, funny, sad, magical and at times also grotesque. All of this blends together into perfect mixture of a tale that will make you re-think your ideas about the meaning of life. It made me laugh out loud but at other times I was moved to tears. It's also caused me to feel the need to read more Shakespeare, although it's by no means necessary to do so in order to enjoy this book. This is one of my best reads so far this year and I highly recommend it.
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darkly funny
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I picked this book up on a whim yesterday and I'm glad I did. I read it all day up to midnight becasue I had to know how it finished. Humour is mixed with the more serious messages about capitalism and war, as well as sadness. All the characters are well drwn and I grew attached to many, especially the she-boys and of course the Hamlet re-writer himself, Managua. Yes there is toilet humour but if that is all see in the book it is wasted on you.
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Thought-provoking and extremely pertinent.
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I think some of the reviewers who gave a negative review missed the whole point of this book, which is to highlight the havoc capitalism can wreak on the world as a whole and definitely upon cultures who have got along quite nicely without it. Who are we to impose our way of life on peoples whose own traditions ensure a happier and healthier way of life albeit much simpler. And who are we to think that our way is the only way. The characters of William and Lucy are very well rounded. I don't believe that OCD even exists in these more primitive cultures, which goes to show it is probably a manifestation of the complicated and stressful lives we lead. OCD runs parallel to the narrative of the way the islanders use magic in their daily lives, but whereas theirs is communal and healthy, William's is merely debilitating. Lucy's narrative about the customs of the islanders is actually very interesting as it is based on factual accounts from a book published in 1929 and book written by Paul Theroux. In summary this book highlights the worst side of materialism and how damaging it is not just to the islanders but to all of us. We all need to get back to basics and take care of the planet and eat healthy food and co-exist with nature not destroy it. This book is not, however, written as a lecture. It very cleverly and humourously exposes the frailties of our own culture and looks at how rather than imposing it on others, we should learn from them and use what we learn to strengthen what is good in our culture, of which there are many things.
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Engrossing and entertaining read
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My daughter was given this book for her birthday and spent so much time laughing out loud that I had to read it too. I absolutely loved it - the descriptions of the island, the islanders, and their beliefs and customs really drew me in. I want to go to Tuma when I die! William's experiences with his OCD give you a flavour of what sufferers go through, without it taking over the story. I'm not really a Shakespeare scholar, but I spotted a few bits of plot that looked familiar. I want my friend with an English degree to read the book next so that she can tell me all the references to Shakespeare plays that I missed. How nerdish is that?!
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Can't make my mind up..
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There are some really great things about this novel. It has a quirky, off-beat storyline that is extremely endearing. The natives and their pidgeon english are great characters, engaging, humourous and heart-warming. Very well written. However, I was disappointed with the main characters, William and Lucy, who failed to capture my imagination in quite the same way. I felt as though Harding struggled with the writing of these characters, simply because of their 'normality' as opposed to the vivid personalities of the natives. They came across as boring and in places, dialogue between them was wooden and unnatural. Having said this, I still enjoyed it, but it would have been even better if Harding had concentrated solely on Managua and friends.
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