I recall being very moved by the movie based on this book. The book, because of its detail and subplots, is about a thousand times better than the movie. Even so, the first several chapters were a bit slow for me. It wasn’t until I reached the middle of the book that I really found myself engrossed in the story.

I was suprised by how differently some of the characters were portrayed in the book, in contrast to the film. I found myself more sympathetic to some and less sympathetic to others. In particular, I had really liked the Doctor Larch character in the film, but didn’t like him at all in the book. Conversely, I was far more sympathetic to Candy (the main character’s love interest) as she was conveyed in the novel, but I hated the sight of her in the film.

Not suprisingly, I found that the plot made a lot more sense in the book – the film seemed to ‘dumb down’ elements of the story. It was actually a relief to discover the little details and background stories. For me, this helped the characters become more human and more believable.

The most compelling thing about this book is the way the author, John Irving, conveyed the complexities of these human lives. He made no effort to hide flaws or moral weaknesses in order to make the characters more likeable. As I neared the end of the novel, I was frankly surprised who my ‘heros’ were.

In the end, there are really no ‘good guys’ or ‘bad guys,’ just people trying to figure out their lives. It really made me think. Good book – I recommend it.

A favourite quote from the book:_
“Among orphans, thought Homer Wells, sea gulls are superior to crows – not in intelligence or in personality, he observed, but in the freedom they possess and cherish. It was in looking at sea gulls that it first occurred to Homer Wells that he was free.” (229)_