Regeneration by Pat Barker Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Regeneration
Book Review: An engaging work with solid technique.
Summary: 4 Stars
That a historical novel came across as readable as it did was surprise enough for me, but after completing the reading of Regeneration, I respected it purely as a piece of literature, period.
Barker's roving plotlines, sometimes switched by the mere presence of a new character in a scene, were weaved together in a way that lent believability and drama to what was surely an excellent combination of history and fiction. Though I found some of Barker's dialogue hard to follow and the characters (with the exception of Sassoon, Owen and Rivers, who the reader obviously identifies most with) names a little difficult to keep straight, they nonetheless worked well enough to create a foundation for some superb storytelling.
The strict Freudian psycho-analysis present throughout the book got on my nerves at times. The sexual layers that the characters constantly talked about didn't come across to me in any of the dream sequences where they were supposedly abundant. I did however like the ambiguity of certain characters sexual orientation, as well as Rivers' self-analysis sessions, which gave you a deep look into his character.
The shaping and wordplay of the novel itself was also excellent, with some beautiful descriptions and a variety of useful and telling metaphors and similes. Barker was well deserving of the Booker Prize, without a doubt. I would happily recommend her work to anyone.
Book Review: Brilliant
Summary: 5 Stars
This book deserved the praise it has received. It is horrifying at times and incredibly clear-eyed about the situation the characters find themselves in. The story is succint, crystal clear, and short, but the characters are breathtakingly, brilliantly drawn. Barker has found amazing characters to work with, drawing liberally from real writers and doctors of the time. This can be read as an outstanding historical novel, or literary novel, but it is just plain brilliant.Book Review: Catch-22 upended. The crazy are cured and returned to war.
Summary: 5 Stars
An accutely precise mix of historical and fictional characters illuminate the tragedy of WWI. Dr. Wm. Rivers cures the shell-shocked and returns them to the insanity of the Western Front, changing himself and the reader as well. Also see "The Face Of Battle" by John Keegan!Book Review: Changes Your Worldview
Summary: 5 Stars
I actually have to review the trilogy as the three books are of a whole. These books deeply moved me and caused me to question and wonder about quite a lot of various things. After reading this book, I delved further into Wilfred Owen, Siegfried Sassoon and, eventually World War One. As the "great" war did not concern America until towards the end of that terrible conflict, it is not as thoroughly discussed as World War II. It was an awful, senseless war. No war can ever really be justified, though there are always those who come up with some reason or another. Violence is never an answer. However, there is no excuse for World War I other than avarice. And so many died. Yes....this trilogy made me think and review and re-review my thoughts and feelings on a lot of things. Amazing!Book Review: Complex and creative, but raw
Summary: 4 Stars
In Regeneration, Pat Barker fictionalises an encounter between H. R. Rivers and Siegfrid Sasson in a military psychological hospital. In Craiglockhart, near Edinburgh, there are numerous war wounded, whose experiences in the Flanders trenches of the First World War have left them psychologically, as well as sometimes physically scarred. The symptoms are many and varied. In Sassoon's case it is possible that the motivation might even be political, rather than psychological.
Rivers attempts to analyse his patients and his own responses to them. He is of the modern school, unlikely to resort to the blunt-edged methods of some of his contemporaries. Description of some of these established treatments read very much like torture. They were, after all, in the cases described, trying to make someone talk. How appropriate.
But Rivers is unimpressed and he pursues his own line. Along the way, he also develops new, ground-breaking treatments of his own invention.
Sassoon befriends a young man called Owen, whom he encourages to write. Another friend called Graves visits whenever he can. Together, Sassoon and Owen work on some of Owen's writing. The results, they both agree, are improvements.
The power of Regeneration is the relation between its overall idea and its setting. It presents the creative process as a reflection on experience and sets this in an institution where formal reflection on experience is a treatment. Eventually, it is not just the individual patient who benefits from the cathartic process of reflection, but also the analyst and, ultimately, all of us when the relief takes the form of great poetry.