Book Review | Book Chatter

A Prayer for Owen Meany
By John Irving
(William Morrow & Company, Paperback, April 2012, 9780062204097)

The Short of It:

If the definition of a classic is a book that stands the test of time…then A Prayer for Owen Meany is just that.

The Rest of It:

First published in 1989, A Prayer for Owen Meany tells the story of John Wheelright and his best friend Owen Meany. The story takes place in a small New England town by the name of Gravesend, New Hampshire. The town itself is fictional, but it is probably a good representation of any small town during the 1950-60’s. Everyone knows everyone and life seems pretty simple. However, all that changes for the boys when a baseball, hit by Owen, strikes John’s mother in the head.

I read this book when it first came out and I remember liking it quite a bit. Irving is known for his quirky, eccentric characters and this book is no exception. However, it wasn’t until my recent reread that I truly realized how wonderful this book is. It’s funny, smartly written and it reminds you of simpler times when kids were kids and friendships meant everything. Every time I opened the book, it felt like coming home.

Owen, is such an odd little boy. He’s very small for his age, exceedingly wise and has a knack for getting to the root of a problem. He’s brutally honest and has a voice that can break glass, yet he seems to be well liked and respected by those who know him.

The story is told from John’s point of view and although he’s often the more stable of the two, it’s really Owen who proves to be the voice of reason. Owen’s “wisdom” comes in the form of visions and hunches which John puts up with for the most part, but Owen sees himself as an instrument of God and although this often gets Owen into a world of trouble, John senses that there is something to what Owen is saying.

The story follows them as they grow into adults and deals with such issues as the Vietnam War, spirituality, faith and fate, identity and social justice.

Irving fans who have not read this book should run out and get a copy now. It’s delightfully touching, endlessly entertaining and a wonderful testament to friendship. However, those who are not familiar with Irving’s writing might be overwhelmed by the level of detail that Irving includes in his novels. Irving’s writing never leaves you guessing. He gives it all to you and then some. I LOVE this about him, but some readers want him to get to the point, and quickly.

If you are tired of the formulaic plots of the books you’ve been reading and don’t mind investing some time in this classic, then by all means… pick up and copy and savor it.

Note from Ti: I also listened to the audio version of this while at the gym and it was wonderful. Great acting and extremely funny. If you don’t have time to read the print version, do try the audio.

Source: Sent to me by the publisher.
Disclosure: This post contains Indiebound affiliate links.

The Iguana Tree
Michel Stone
(Hub City Press, Hardcover, 9781891885884, March 2012, 224pp.)

The Short of It:

The Iguana Tree is written with compassion, yet provides only a brief glimpse into the lives of undocumented workers.

The Rest of It:

Hector, Lilia and their newborn daughter live in Puerto Isadore and dream of a life in America. As the novel opens, Hector has paid someone to take him across the border. The plan, once there, is to find a job, save money and send for Lilia and the baby as soon as possible. Lilia, impatient to be with her husband, finds passage herself and what follows is their story.

This novel had promise. It opened beautifully and I found myself taken with Lilia and Hector and the small town they live in. As Hector makes his way across the border, I considered many times, how desperate a person had to be, to risk everything for the American dream. But what happens seems almost too good to be true and then right when you begin to question just how good things are, they are hit with tragedy which was all-together too convenient for me.

As I was reading, I got the sense that the author didn’t want to upset anyone, including herself. That she wanted these characters to come out on top, but then knew or perhaps felt that it couldn’t possibly turn out well and then at the end, (which I will not spoil for anyone) she goes back into the other direction again. Kind of.

If I had spent more time with these characters in their hometown, I would have understood their motivation more. If the author had focused on one aspect of their story, perhaps more time could have been spent on developing that one aspect instead of trying to touch on all the issues involved with undocumented workers. And last, but certainly not least…what is she trying to say? I don’t feel as if a statement was made. Does she support illegal immigration? Does she support undocumented workers? Is she saying that the process should be easier to enter the country legally? I’m not sure and I really searched for this in order to give this book a fair shake.

I wanted and expected a lot more because there were pieces that did work well and there were times where I did feel something for these characters, but in the end, no stance was made and that choice affected the entire story.

Would I read another book by this author? Yes, because what I liked, I liked quite a bit, but I wanted more. I do think this would make a good discussion book for a book club though. There is a lot to explore.