#2 A Prayer for Owen Meany
By John Irving
I've read this book before, but it is one of my favorites. It contains some objectionable material, so I don't know if I would recommend it to anyone. You'll have to decide for yourself if you want to read it. Other than the few parts that are objectionable, it is one of the best books I've ever read. The back cover has a description that puts it perfectly, "This is John Irving's most comic novel; yet Owen Meany is Mr. Irving's most heartbreaking character". Owen Meany is endearing and easy to fall in love with. He's eccentric and always serious, but that gives the story it's humor. The book has a lot of depth and meaning. It covers the subject of faith through Owen Meany's unshakeable faith, and through his best friend, Johnny's, lack of faith. The story is told by Johnny, and he starts out by saying that Owen Meany is the reason he believes in God. Owen believes he is God's instrument. There is so much in this book that seems unimportant at the time, but by the end of the book everything comes together. Like Owen Meany, John Irving has a reason for everything.
This book has been made into a movie. The movies is titled "Simon Birch". Simon is Owen Meany; I'm not exactly sure why they changed the name. The movie is also excellent, but not nearly as deep. It is shorten incredibly in order to make the movie not so long. I would recommend the movie to everyone; it is a family movie. If you decide not to read the book, at least watch the movie.
Here are a couple of my favorite quotes (Owen speaks in all caps as a way to try to explain his extraordinary voice):
"When someone you love dies, and you're not expecting it, you don't lose her all at once; you lose her in pieces over a long time - the way the mail stops coming, and her scent fades from the pillows and even from the clothes in her closet and drawers."
Johnny's feelings about his mother's death.
"LAST NIGHT I HAD A DREAM. NOW I KNOW FOUR THINGS. I KNOW THAT MY VOICE DOESN'T CHANGE - BUT I STILL DON'T KNOW WHY. I KNOW THAT I AM GOD'S INSTRUMENT. I KNOW WHEN I'M GOING TO DIE - AND NOW A DREAM HAS SHOWN ME HOW I'M GOING TO DIE. I'M GOING TO BE A HERO! I TRUST THAT GOD WILL HELP ME, BECAUSE WHAT I'M SUPPOSED TO DO LOOKS VERY HARD."
From Owen Meany's journal.
posted by Alyson @ 2:59 PM
5 comments
5 Comments:
I've watched the movie a couple of times and loved it. From your comments and that fact that you've read this book twice, I think I'm going to have to read Owen Meany someday. Especially liked the quote about trusting God will help him. I'm at a point in my life where I haven't been leaning on the Lord like I should and trusting in Him.
I just checked out 'Until I Find You" by John Irving. It was on the new books shelf (next to the cookbooks, for crying out loud). Have you read it yet? I can't remember. I will let you know how I like it later.
PS. I have the Da Vinci Code with pictures. I kept thinking when I read it originally that I would love to see the places they were talking about, especially the glass pyramid. I need to read it again with the pictures. I really liked the book though.
Booklogged-That's the reason I liked that quote. I don't rely on the Lord even close to enough. I guess I can't get it through my head that 'my way' isn't the best way.
Shaneen-I haven't read Until I Find You yet, but I plan on it someday. I really like John Irving though; for the most part. The book before that was my least favorite, but it's on the AP reading list that Cassie has. I told her to read A Prayer for Owen Meany instead.
My parents also have The Davinci Code with pictures, but it's really quite heavy. I like to be able to tote my books around. I should look through it every once in a while though.
I just finished "Until I Find You." I can't quite recommend it because I almost quit right in the middle. There was no longer a character in the book that I cared about. However, I read the last few pages and that captured my interest. I had to find out how it got there. Besides, about that time, the smut and graphic $&*(%$# starts to tone down. So I really enjoyed it after that. The characters even became likable again. At least some fo them. It has quite a twist in the plot that I really didn't see coming. So now I will have to read Owen Meany.
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