Altering Misconceptions

So, "The English Patient" by Michael Ondaatje. I read that (took me 15 days for those keeping score). I will admit, I approached this title with almost as much trepidation as I did Salman Rushdie's "Midnight's Children" - to me they are the epitome of modern classics. I am young enough that it feels like both of them have always been a part of the pop lit cannon. Everyone who reads knows of them. That carries a lot of weight of expectation, which mostly has nothing to do with the actual novels.

Interestingly, this novel ranked 2nd in my list of 'titles I am least looking forward to reading' when I began, with Schindler's Ark in 1st (another title which bore the weight of enormous expectations!). I have a suspicion that anything WWII related is designed to make me weepy - which I HATE - plus I understood it to be a romance. War romance? Usually twice the weeping!!

I did not cry. I didn't even have to try not to cry. It is an interesting story. It is a travelogue, a mystery, it has the tension of a thriller (who doesn't tense when there's a bomb being defused?!). I enjoyed "The English Patient". It is clearly written - only at one point was I not entirely sure of what I was being told. The story and the characters are engaging, and deeply human. I didn't cry, although it is filled with tragedy. I learned new things. All in all, it is a solid top 8 of the books I've read so far, and one of only two books that I had preconceived notions of which did not disappoint. Yay!

My favourite part of the novel was the use of 'altered books' to depict the characters rewriting of their own histories - absolutely loved it!  Both Hana, the Canadian nurse, and the titular character alter books, and in combination with the frequent use of quotation in the story it creates a desperate love song to civilization, as expressed through literature.  While they are rewriting their world, they are trying to understand it through the literature of the past. 

It is really freaking beautiful.

I've always loved the idea of altered books - adapting an existing work to express a larger story, or even an entirely different story, within the leaves of another story.  Inspired! But, I can't bring myself to actually do it! I have a passion for beautifully crafted books and I feel that marking in them in any way, well, destroys them.  It's a bit ridiculous, I know, especially since I also love the idea of marginalia.  But I simply can not write in a book!

I was sorely tempted to grab Roddy Doyle's "Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha" on my way out the door this morning, rather than Barry Unsworth's "Sacred Hunger".  Unsworth and Ondaatje were joint winners in 1992, Doyle the winner in 1993.  I've had "Sacred Hunger" beside my bed for three weeks now.  It's a bit daunting.  630 pages, and it appears to be about the slave trade.  Not exactly 'light' reading in any sense. Doyle, on the other hand, is tempting on so many levels.  I loved "The Commitments" (although I haven't ventured into the rest of the Barrytown trilogy yet) and I love all things related to Ireland.  So why is "Sacred Hunger" waiting in my bag? Because I know if I skip it now, I'll come up with more excuses to continue post-poning it, and it may never get read.  At least, not by me! And that would never do!

Happy reading!