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Dem's Reviews > The Narrow Road to the Deep North
The Narrow Road to the Deep North
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The 2014 Booker prize-winning story is powerful, harrowing and a quite difficult read but a book that will stay with me for a long time.
In the despair of a Japanese POW camp on the Burma Death Railway, surgeon Dorrigo Evans is haunted by his love affair with his uncle's young wife two years earlier. Struggling to save the men under his command from starvation, from cholera and from beatings, he receives a letter that will change his life forever. This is a story about the many forms of love and death, of war and truth, as one man comes of age, propsers, only to discover all that he has lost.
This was a book that I had on my radar for a couple of years but I kept putting it to the bottom of the pile as I knew it would be an emotional read and possibly quite challenging.
To be honest I was right on both accounts but the payoff was rewarding. This is a book that affects the reader on many levels, the writing is descriptive and real, the sense of time and place terrific and all the characters, even the minor ones are beautifully written. I had a face for every character in this book and they all felt so real. While I am aware this is a novel I am sure Flanagan must have based some of these characters on men that his father talked about during his time in the POW Camp. He doesn't disclose this in the book but I have to imagine he drew something from his fathers stories to create such real and well drawn characters.
This is a deep book and its the sort of book on finishing I would love to have had a discussion on with a book group. Its certainly not going to be everyone's cup of tea as its harrowing in detail and the cruelty and misery of the camps is relentless and makes for very difficult reading but I only had to read it as these poor men had to endure it and the ones that "survived" seemed to have survived in name only as life for them was never the same.
A great educational read and a really well written book. Harrowing reading but a book that deserves the awards it has received.
In the despair of a Japanese POW camp on the Burma Death Railway, surgeon Dorrigo Evans is haunted by his love affair with his uncle's young wife two years earlier. Struggling to save the men under his command from starvation, from cholera and from beatings, he receives a letter that will change his life forever. This is a story about the many forms of love and death, of war and truth, as one man comes of age, propsers, only to discover all that he has lost.
This was a book that I had on my radar for a couple of years but I kept putting it to the bottom of the pile as I knew it would be an emotional read and possibly quite challenging.
To be honest I was right on both accounts but the payoff was rewarding. This is a book that affects the reader on many levels, the writing is descriptive and real, the sense of time and place terrific and all the characters, even the minor ones are beautifully written. I had a face for every character in this book and they all felt so real. While I am aware this is a novel I am sure Flanagan must have based some of these characters on men that his father talked about during his time in the POW Camp. He doesn't disclose this in the book but I have to imagine he drew something from his fathers stories to create such real and well drawn characters.
This is a deep book and its the sort of book on finishing I would love to have had a discussion on with a book group. Its certainly not going to be everyone's cup of tea as its harrowing in detail and the cruelty and misery of the camps is relentless and makes for very difficult reading but I only had to read it as these poor men had to endure it and the ones that "survived" seemed to have survived in name only as life for them was never the same.
A great educational read and a really well written book. Harrowing reading but a book that deserves the awards it has received.
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Reading Progress
July 4, 2018
–
Started Reading
July 4, 2018
– Shelved
July 13, 2018
–
Finished Reading
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Angela M is taking a break.
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rated it 5 stars
Jul 14, 2018 12:17PM
Fantastic review, Dem.
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Angela M wrote: "Fantastic review, Dem."Thank you Angela.
This has stayed with me too, as you say brutal and powerful. Awesome review, Dem.
Excellent review Dem. I struggled with the book - it was certainly harrowing!
Already on my list. GREAT review Dem!
Great review, Dem. I’ve had this book on my to read list for a long time, too, and I’ve put off reading it for all the reasons you mentioned. It’s good to know it was worth reading, so I might give it a try when I’m ready for it.
Wonderful review, Dem. This was such a powerful book that I'm glad to have read. I agree with all your points here :)
Carol wrote: "Already on my list. GREAT review Dem!"Thanks Carol.
Donna wrote: "Great review, Dem. I’ve had this book on my to read list for a long time, too, and I’ve put off reading it for all the reasons you mentioned. It’s good to know it was worth reading, so I might give..."Thank you Donna. Yep this is one you need to be imood for.
Candi wrote: "Wonderful review, Dem. This was such a powerful book that I'm glad to have read. I agree with all your points here :)"Thanks Candi.
I have stopped reading anything on the Booker List, the Nobel Prize for Fiction or any other of these stuffy lists. I have been disappointed every time by how boring these “deep” books were and notice how seldom they are on bestselling lists. I have figured out why. Not that best selling lists are great either, but I think they are more fun than the rest.
I have also had this one for a while now - great review!
Loved your review Dem. Will definitely give this one a try.
I read this 4 years ago and still remember parts of it vividly. Well written but a book I’d read only once. I did cry at the fish stand incident after the war...so moving.
Nice review, Dem! I thought this was a great, impactful and extremely well-written book - it was a 5+ for me and absolutely deserved the Booker Prize, unlike some others, in my opinion! Have you read any of his other books?
Madeline wrote: "I have stopped reading anything on the Booker List, the Nobel Prize for Fiction or any other of these stuffy lists. I have been disappointed every time by how boring these “deep” books were and not..."I tend to stay clear of these prize winning books too Madeline as so many time am left disappointed but a few trusted friends whose opinions I value when it comes to books thought this one in particular would engage me so thankfully they were right but as I said in my review this isn't for everybody .
Sonja wrote: "I have also had this one for a while now - great review!"Thanks Sonja.
Tania wrote: "Loved your review Dem. Will definitely give this one a try."Thanks Tania hope it works for you.
Fran wrote: "Great review, Dem!"Thanks Fran.
Teresa wrote: "I read this 4 years ago and still remember parts of it vividly. Well written but a book I’d read only once. I did cry at the fish stand incident after the war...so moving."Yes it a read once only sort of book Teresa.
Lilisa wrote: "Nice review, Dem! I thought this was a great, impactful and extremely well-written book - it was a 5+ for me and absolutely deserved the Booker Prize, unlike some others, in my opinion! Have you re..."Thanks Lilisa. It was so well written. This was my first book by this author but I Look forward to checking out other books. Have you tread anything else you could recommend by him?
Great review - I loved this one!
Dem wrote: "Lilisa wrote: "Nice review, Dem! I thought this was a great, impactful and extremely well-written book - it was a 5+ for me and absolutely deserved the Booker Prize, unlike some others, in my opini..."I haven't, Dem. I've had The Sound of One Hand Clapping has been on my TBR for awhile. I need to get to it.
Maybe I'll have to take a second look.
Great review Dem. I too loved this book. I struggled to fully engage in the early sections, even if they were well-written, but as I moved on its power grew and then overwhelmed me. Not for the faint-hearted, but an essential read.A fitting memorial too to his father.
Terrific review of a great book, Dem. I’m glad you finally got to it!
Jen wrote: "Great review - I loved this one!"Glad you loved it too.
Pam wrote: "Maybe I'll have to take a second look."So many books Pam ..... :-)
Richard wrote: "Great review Dem. I too loved this book. I struggled to fully engage in the early sections, even if they were well-written, but as I moved on its power grew and then overwhelmed me. Not for the fai..."Absolutely Richard. Books like this really stay with me.
PattyMacDotComma wrote: "Terrific review of a great book, Dem. I’m glad you finally got to it!"Thank you Patty. I love when a book has an impact like this.
