the pencil reads

I finished The World According to Garp by John Irving today. It is a compelling and well-told story, but it leaves the reader fretful about the world. Irving paints a world sharply divided, senselessly violent, and fundamentally unsafe. Although there are comic elements throughout the story – for example the case of poor Michael Molton – the tragedy always overwhelm the comic, leaving a bitter aftertaste.

So I prefer The Cider House Rules, simply because it is cheerier.

Posted on Tuesday, November 16, 2004 at 11:13 AM. :)