Captain Corelli's Mandolin

by Richard Harris (Arranger)

This collection brings together music played by Captain Corelli himself and original pieces evoking the sounds and events of the book and of 3 earlier novels, the Latin Trilogy', by Louis de Bernieres. Mandolin music by Beethoven and Hummel is idiomatically arranged for piano by Richard Harris and contrasted with Neapolitan songs, folk songs from Latin America and Greece, and music by Stephen Warbeck.

Genres: Fiction, Classics, Historical Fiction, Romance, Historical, Literary Fiction, Greece

32 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2003

Reviews

[Emma Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just finished a reread of this and reconfirmed it as one of my top ten books of all time. Brutal, funny, heart wrenching, intelligent, historic, articulate: it has everything. The first 100 pages require some investment, but once you are in, it will wind its fingers around your soul. I’ve just finished and am missing it already. If you do one thing during this isolation - read this wonderful book.

[Olivia Snell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quite a beautifully written book, although the first half could’ve been 100 pages shorter I really enjoyed the experience of reading my first long book in a while, think it added to the sense of time passing.

[Aleksandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved every part of this book

[LouiseB · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just when I thought I'd finished this whole ordeal there's a movie.

[Catherine Yarwood · Rating 3 out of 5]

To me, this didn’t feel like much of a love story - not like I had always assumed. It was a war story, and a story of an island, with some lovers in the background.

We are welcomed to the story with viewpoints written from several different key players. There is the diary of Carlo, a soldier struggling with a hidden self, Iannis, a doctor who is trying to write a history of the island and his daughter Pelagia, who is 17 and just falling in love for the first time. It is 1940.

Through Carlo’s narrative we are dragged through the fighting in Albania by the Greeks and the Italians. It is horrific, full of brutal imagery. I enjoyed the scene when Carlo visits the mother of a comrade - he tells her the death was quick and heroic, whilst his internal monologue reveals the tortured truth.

Meanwhile, Iannis and Pelagia are living island life with the uncertainty of the war creeping in. Soon the italian occupiers arrive, along with Captain Corelli - a typical literary hero. He is kind, chivalrous, talented and of course, tall and good looking. Pelagia is a typical heroine - feisty, voluptuous and beautiful. Against a backdrop of some increasing tension, they all cope with one another, and Pelagia and Corelli fall in love. Naturally.

But once the Nazi’s arrive, the typical storybook romance ends. What follows is pain, death, poverty, a lost youth and wasted lives. The book is not written with angry language or phrases - it cleverly makes you feel angry. Angry at the waste of everything.

Sometimes, I found some passage of description to be longer than it perhaps needed to be. It opens with many different perspectives, leading to some confusion at the beginning, but as they all die we are left with less and less voices to tell the story.

I enjoyed the description of Cephalonia and Greek life. The best word for it is colourful. It is romantic, hot, full of liveliness and animals and music. It is well written. My favourite relationship is that of the doctor and Pelagia. It is touching and funny throughout, and there is nothing sickly-sweet about it. He is a hero without being a typical hero and her grief when they are finally separated will make your lips tremble as you have something in your eye.

I’m not particularly keen on the ending. I won’t spoil it for you - but if we ever discuss it I shall be particularly vocal about the UNWILLINGNESS TO ASK A GODDAMN QUESTION!

[Laura Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is honestly one of the best books I have ever read in my life. So heartbreakingly sad and honest, but with a writing that is so beautiful. The characters are magical and the humor and dialogue made me laugh out loud. I recommend it to anyone and everyone who wants an amazing story and adventure, who is ready to dive deep into the lives of such extraordinary characters.

[Louise Perkinton · Rating 3 out of 5]

I listened to this as an audio book and found it quite confusing to start with but warmed to the characters as it went on. A fascinating period in history that I knew little about.

[Zoe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Um super cute

[Debbie Knight · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just as good second time round!

[Sam Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Phenomenal, amazing, heartbreaking. WHY DID I TAKE SO LONG TO READ THIS. Loved it, cant wait to go to Cephalonia

[Gavin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this wonderful novel. I hesitated before reading, as I had already seen the film, but they do not compare. The novel is composed of a wonderful prose and attention to detail that no Hollywood offering can match. The novel is a symphony, the film a fart in a bucket

[Sarah Saunders · Rating 5 out of 5]

The 2nd time I’ve read this book. The first time was in Kefalonia 23 years ago. I remember loving the book, but I forgot just how much. What a diamond, just like the Island. My favourite book of all time.

[Anna Musgrave · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hated the ending

[Jennifer Murray · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book walks you through so many emotions. So many smiles and so many deep lows. It makes you hate war and wonder at the frailty of life. I was very surprised at the story's happy ending; that love found a way through all of the cruelty of everything. However, it was a hard journey to get there and I found myself deeply hurt by many of the loses and deaths of the novel.

I also enjoyed how the story took on a unique (at least to me as an American) perspective on WWII. It showed the complexities of the "good" guys and the "bad" guys and everyone caught in-between. It also showed a path towards forgiveness for some of the failures of the most horrific crimes.

My only distraction from the myriad of loveliness and sadness of the story was the shifts in POV. It was really hard for me to keep up and sometimes really irritated me that I could not continue with the POVs I preferred, especially when those stories were exchanged for random side characters. I understand the point of it but it was distracting.

[Adrian · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is not the sort of book I would normally read but thought I would read it during a holiday in Cephalonia!

I really enjoyed the book, I did find it hard to get into at first with the different seemingly unconnected stories told in different styles depending on Characters. The chaotic style of the writing for the character of Mussolini I guess showing in chaotic and confused thought processes the man had.

What really let the book down for me was the final ending. After getting into the Character of Captain Corelli I can’t believe or accept the final chain of events. It’s out of keeping with the description of the characters as he unfolded to me. I guess it shows that not only war tragically changes lives from their normal trajectories.

Apart from that an excellent book and leas me to want find out more about the Italian / German occupation of Cephalonia.

[Starsailor · Rating 2 out of 5]

Probably, one of the worst endings of any book I have ever read, why write a pretty good book and then write the most ridiculous ending.

Spoiler alert about the stupid ending:
So everyone knows the main character really well during the war, he comes to the Island for years and no one recognises him? Really? He sees his past love with a child and assumes it is hers, doesn't ask anyone, even though he knows lots of people there. He is a famous musician but no one knows him and the woman has never thought to look him up in twenty years?? Really? Even though the internet has been invented?
Such a shame to end a pretty decent book with an ending that was rushed and not thought through. Total let down.

[Samantha Streit · Rating 4 out of 5]

OK, I love some elements of this book. Was it a bit slow for me? Yes, I read it while I was in Croatia. I really loved the end and like the way that like you can get second chances in your life with love even when you think you’re at the end and I felt like it was such a like Odyssey of a book as in like you get through the first half and we haven’t even met Captain Corelli, which is kind of crazy and there’s all these different chapters of love and you’re kind of like who am I supposed to follow? Who do I root for but like it was very disturbing all the stuff about war but also very interesting.

[Leonie Recz · Rating 4 out of 5]

My goodness what a journey! History, love story, war story, humour, tragedy, education and more in this large and at times difficult book. Haha I felt relieved when upon completion I turned the last page and there a previous reader had created a long list of words that I too had never heard of before.
Don’t give up the story evolves and this one just needs the concentration and attention to reward you with a satisfaction you know you earned.

[Oliver H · Rating 5 out of 5]

A poignant, beautifully written book detailing the horrors of the second world war (and subsequent conflict) upon regular life. Featuring complex and meaningful topics that had me devasted but unable to put the book down at each heart-breaking plot point. A showcase of the best and worst of humanity and leaving a bitter taste of what could have been, which, combined by the historical truths of the tale make it a wonderful read.

[Simmy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love itself is what is left over, when being in love has burned away

Wonderful and playful at times, filled with sorrow at other times. reads so easily, even the first 100 pages- all the scene setting didn’t feel completely necessary at the time but by the end i appreciated the overall effect. 8.5/10, starting this during revision week turned out to be a terrible idea (had to finish it before i could get anything else done)

[Vicky Westlake · Rating 2 out of 5]

I eventually read this on my third attempt. I found it difficult to get in to and found the flitting backwards and forwards between stories didn't work well in this case. I felt that there was a whole section (or three) of the book that didn't add much value. The book did eventually get more settled and interesting around chapter 55!

[Josette Piscopo · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read this book a very long time ago and I did enjoy it. Though the story is fictional it still gave me an insight on WWII and the Italian soldiers stationed in the Greek Islands that I did not know existed. I would have preferred if the story timeline was shorter but I still enjoyed reading it.

[Lucía Alonso-Lasheras · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful riveting book you won’t be able to put down. It’s been a long time since a book has captured me and enveloped me in it’s story, and Captain Corelli’s Mandolin certainly does that. You almost forget the world around you. So much more than a love story full of laughter, tragedy and history.

[Renāte Sokolovska · Rating 5 out of 5]

Many of us use the “after the war I/we will” every day and not necessarily under war circumstances. There is no excuse to waste your life and wait for something that may never happen and not pursue your dreams every day. Makes you think.

[Sausagecreature · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the most charming, beautifully crafted bitter sweet tales I have ever read. A true gem, written by a real talent.
In my top five all time reads.

The film does not reflect well on this book, and that is a shame.

[Rosalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A heartfelt novel with a simple and important message about loving the family life gives you, seizing opportunities and the heavy burden of regret. This book was charming, heartbreaking and exasperating in the best way and made me feel all the feels at once.

[Jonie Mcgraw · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book years ago, and it still haunts me. The writing is exquisite and the story has the depth of a true classic. I look forward to reading it again some day as it’s my favorite book next To Kill a Mockingbird!

[Susie Lykins · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found myself wanting to stop reading the book many times, until I was about a quarter through it, and then I found that most of the time I couldn’t put it down. There is so much sadness mingled with humor, drama, and the harsh realities of war. I actually give the book 3.5/5 stars.

[Emma Pitman · Rating 5 out of 5]

second time reading this book and still enjoyed it.

[Heather Brunt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing. Favourite book. Made me laugh & cry.