Captain Corelli's Mandolin

[Jenjen86]

I know this book has been highly acclaimed etc etc as being very good - but am I the only person who finds it incredibly difficult to read??? I was given it for Christmas and to this day am only about a third of the way through - I've not even met Captain Corelli yet!!! Also the way it jumps from one characters situation is annoying and confusing me as often by the time the book returns to that character I've forgotten what he/she was doing previously!! Will someone please agree with me or reassure me that it will get better!! Thank you!! X*X*X

[Tatty Rollox]

...... I purchased the video because I play the mandolin and like to hear mandolin music. There is no mandolin music in the film !!! I have not read the book, so here is Picasso's "Girl with a Mandolin" (which is also something of a mystery) to give food for thought until somebody who has read the book comes along ,,,,,,,,

[jno]

it's famous for being hard to get into... many people in your situation, including me (page 10 before I gave up). Still, those who persevere say it's very good.

[Gnu]

The first part is particularly difficult, but then I read the last third in one night as I couldn't put it down.

[lindapinda]

Jenjen..I def agree with you that it is difficult to get into! However..I have to say,I persevered,chiefly because I had seen the film,and wanted the comparison.As Gnu,says..after you get through the complicated,difficult,setting the scene initial chapters...I was really hooked! I did find it atmospheric also!

[auntie sar]

It is difficult to get into. I persevered and got through the whole thing and was then disappointed that I bothered because I thought the whole thing was sentimental clap trap.

I've tried his next one too and I didn't like that either. I think I'll just give up on him.

[queenie.01]

I found this book incredibly difficult to get into but I persevered and did enjoy it in the end.

Watched the film as well and, as much as I like Nicholas Cage, I thought the book was much better.

[noxlumos]

I actually loved this book and didn't find it hard to get into as such although you do have to keep your wits about you for the first part or it could get confusing.

The person I CANNOT read is Tolkein. Fantastic stories but written in the most irritating writing style I've ever come across. I finished them all but it was like sheer purgatory, so I'd guess it's just a personal thing from one person to another, what sort of writing style you enjoy.

[heathfield]

Book? - superb! What a writer! Film? - trash, and should never have been released. Some books can never translate to film, and this is one. ('Catch 22' was another ghastly example).

[jump79]

I've read it and really enjoyed it. The beginning is a bit slow and descriptive and introduces all the characters bit by bit (they are all related btw) but it does get better after the first couple of chapters... so if you're still reading it, don't give up yet! :)

[marwel7]

The bit on the beach with the ??????? is hilarious.

[annavc]

Agree with the others - it is hard to get into but I perserved and ended up loving it and read the second half of the book in a matter of hours as I couldn't put it down. I've also read a lot of his others (mostly set in a fictional south American country and rather surreal!) and I loved those too. Stick with it I say.