The Shipping News

Pewnie bez zaskoczenia, ale zaczynałem od obejrzenia filmu. Dopiero wiele lat później zdecydowałem się na przeczytanie książki. Akcenty są rozłożone nieco inaczej, choć tutaj i tak muszę powiedzieć, że filmowa wersja jest bardzo wierna oryginałowi (jak na to, że mówimy o zupełnie różnych mediach). Ogólnie, historia nieco ku pokrzepieniu serc, czasem mocno przerysowania, ale bardzo czytalna.

Schön geschrieben, schöne Geschichte. ZB die wie Zeichnung des Protagonisten sich ändert von der absolut überzeugenden Figur eines eher langweiligen Lappens zu einem ausgesprochen sympathischen Zeitgenossen, der endlich seinen Weg gefunden hat.

 My mother read this in the early 90s, not long after it came out, and recommended it to me. It's just now, six years after her death, that I've read it.
 I can see why she thought I would like it. Amid Proulx's dazzling, inventive prose is a simple story of a man coming to terms with life, his career, fatherhood, and love. There are no explosions of earth shaking drama, just thought, hard work and acceptance.
 If you wanted high drama but don't find it in The Shipping News that's OK; the descriptions of Newfoundland and its colorful characters are enough.

Quirky, funny exploits of the unlikely protagonist Quoyle and his departure from journalistic and day-to-day uselessness as he acquaints himself with the place where he apparently belongs. Reader impressed by dry, sharp narrative.

I finally finished this book after I have no idea how many months. I liked the characters; I found Quoyle to be a relatable character and it was nice to "watch" him flourish over time. I even had a strong desire to visit Newfoundland no matter how cold and treacherous a picture the author drew. Still, this book didn't grab me. I enjoyed the writing, but I couldn't wait to be done with the book.