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Mr. Pips
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
October 18, 2008
An unforgetable book. "A story about stories".... A lone elderly white man is left with a small group of people on an island somewhere in the region of Africa. He decided to reopen the school that along with the people has been deserted by the missionaries and government people when warring tribes enter the area. He teaches them reading math, and sciences as best he can. He reads Dickens Great Expectations to them each day. The students are transported to another time and place and with their imaginations all the characters become real.
The writting is excellent helping the reader have the same experience as the students in the book. A lovely little book about books and reading. "You cannot pretend to read a book. Your eyes will give you away. So will your breathing. A person entranced by a book simply forgets to breathe. The house can catch alight and a reader deep in a book will not look up until the wallpaper is in flame"
The writting is excellent helping the reader have the same experience as the students in the book. A lovely little book about books and reading. "You cannot pretend to read a book. Your eyes will give you away. So will your breathing. A person entranced by a book simply forgets to breathe. The house can catch alight and a reader deep in a book will not look up until the wallpaper is in flame"
May 14, 2008
Alex novel - While the outside story is about an eccentric white man reading Great Expectations to children on a war-torn Pacific Island, the inside story is about how small choices lead to other small choices until these choices lead like ripples on a pond to larger and larger events until finally, we are swept away - and left wondering how did this all happen. Thought provoking, sad and yet full of courage.
Still - very graphic in violence...
Still - very graphic in violence...
July 13, 2012
Quirky, very literary novel which didn't really come together until the very last chapter for me. At that point, it was as though I had an epiphany of great proportions and fell in love with the whole novel in one fell swoop. A definite must read!
October 15, 2015
A very upsetting book. It did have good things to say about how literature provides escape and an entry into another world. But then the brutality and rape and murder arrived and I felt it was just too much. I encountered the same thing with Swamplandia, another highly praised and award-winning or nominated book. It's as though review boards require a certain amount of ugliness to qualify as art.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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July 18, 2008A neat take off relating to the characters in Charles Dickens novel "Great Expectations". interesting setting in a jungle environment.
April 2, 2009
Charming book - illustrates the love of reading and the yearning for knowledge of children
August 19, 2009
If you think all the answers to life's questions can be found in Dickens' Great Expectations, then this book is for you!
April 12, 2011
Not sure how he did it, but this story caught me completely. Really interesting introduction to a very old book - Great Expectations. Now I want to read that too.
December 24, 2013
Enjoyed reading it untill the end
Like to read now the Great Expectations
Like to read now the Great Expectations
January 8, 2014
Ꭲhis book was a great group but it kinda felt like someone was describing a book in there eyes and added a story onto it
October 24, 2014
An assigned reading for my students, this is a tough tough book. Such an enthralling story but so sad and gruesome.
May 30, 2016
This book has a heavy mood from the beginning, It was an ok experience reading it but I don't like the book so much.
February 2, 2014
Unforgettable, in my top 10 ever
July 20, 2014
Loved this story... want to read it with mt class.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews