A Prayer For Owen Meany. Warning: Spoilery!

[Achelois72]

OK, I've read every book John Irving has ever written. I love his stuff, even the books that I find a little tedious at times.

But somehow I never ended up reading A Prayer for Owen Meany until now. It was a little hard for me to get into at first. But once I started getting into it--man...

I finished it 3 nights ago and I'm still thinking about it. Anyone else get like that after reading a very emotional book? Irving was certainly not subtle in his foreshadowing of what would happen to Owen. As you get closer to the end you KNOW it's going to be horrible, but...geesh...I think about this book and I get tears in my eyes. DH: "aw...it's just a book." Me: "No, it's NOT just a book."

How did everyone else feel about this book? Did it break your heart? Tell me, tell me.

Know what broke my heart the most? John/Johnny, the narrator. Sigh. Even more than Hester.


and

Susan

[Aura_Kitten]

i LOVE that book!

wait, that needs a few more !'s...

I LOVE THAT BOOK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


so, in the spirit of the Granite Mouse, here's my 2 cents ~

IRVING REALLY TAPPED THE EMOTIONAL KEG WITH THIS ONE. I HAVE TO ADMIT THAT I WAS SOBBING PROFUSELY BY THE END. WITH ALL OF THE FORESHADOWING, ONE WOULD THINK I WOULD HAVE BEEN MORE PREPARED -- BUT IRVING PULLED IT OFF SO WELL THAT EVEN WITH ALL OF THE FORESHADOWING, THE END WAS STILL A COMPLETE SUPRISE. I HAVE RE-READ IT SEVERAL TIMES, AND IT CONTINUES TO BE AN ENJOYABLE READ EVERY TIME. I CONTINUE TO FIND SOMETHING NEW IN IT EACH TIME I READ IT.

[Achelois72]

Originally Posted by klothos

so, in the spirit of the Granite Mouse, here's my 2 cents ~

IRVING REALLY TAPPED THE EMOTIONAL KEG WITH THIS ONE. I HAVE TO ADMIT THAT I WAS SOBBING PROFUSELY BY THE END. WITH ALL OF THE FORESHADOWING, ONE WOULD THINK I WOULD HAVE BEEN MORE PREPARED -- BUT IRVING PULLED IT OFF SO WELL THAT EVEN WITH ALL OF THE FORESHADOWING, THE END WAS STILL A COMPLETE SUPRISE. I HAVE RE-READ IT SEVERAL TIMES, AND IT CONTINUES TO BE AN ENJOYABLE READ EVERY TIME. I CONTINUE TO FIND SOMETHING NEW IN IT EACH TIME I READ IT.

You got me going again with the all caps thing.

[spatulagirl]

I too adored this book.

Made the mistake of seeing the movie though. DON'T SEE IT IF YOU LOVE THIS BOOK!

[Wilhemina]

My book club read this recently and we all loved it. Very conflicted about the portraits of female characters though - real and unreal (mannequin, saint sculpture, Virgin Mary).

[annelizabeth]

I am the biggest Irving fan but when I read that book at least 6 years ago, I recall being quite distrubed by it, It really upset me. Although, I really can't remember alot of detail, I just remember the pain of reading it.

[Alkenny]

It's been a few years since I read it too, but I know I loved it and it was VERY emotional. Have to agree to NOT see the movie though, they really butchered that one.

[kamilla626]

Big time Irving fan here, and that's probably my favorite book of all time. "Hotel New Hampshire" is another good Irving book.

[KaraBoo]

yep. each and every time i read this book, i start crying so hard it is difficult to finish it. and i *know* what will happen and i still cry LOL

i liked a few of his other books but they get to looking too similar after a while...i consider owen meany and cider house his best. (yes, i liked them better than even garp!)

[onlyboys]

You know what is so fascinating about this particular book? The humor. It's one of the few books that I've actually called someone and said, "You HAVE to listen to this," and then not been able to get through the passage for laughing hysterically.

One scene that comes to mind is the Little Lord Jesus scene with the turtledoves, et. al., fainting donkeys, erections. It's freaking hysterical. Plus, the crazy game, and Owen wetting himself, the cousins and Firewater.

I also love the slant it gives of faith.

Also conflicted/interested about the women roles... Not in a bad way, though.

I love this book!

[Clueless]

That is one of my favorite books of all time. It is witty, charming, emotional, touching. I think it's Irving at his best.

[dave]

That was one of those books that I didn't *have* to read agian, kwm? I think it struck me so hard the first time through, it stuck with me....Still the only work of Irving's I've gotten to read.

[owensmom]

Dh and I love love love this book. Klothos, you said it best. It is the reason we named our son Owen. My MIL read it after Owen was born, and she loved it too.

T Ed from Barenaked Ladies loves it too, I think he has pets named Hester and Owen...

[Kylix]

Hm..I see this thread is a little over a year old but I'll try and revive it with a few questions...

I JUST (as in not an hour ago) finished reading the book. I have to say I wasn't as moved by it as you guys were. I liked it though. My first Irving book...

***MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD*****
















































Some things left me with some questions... What do you think was wrong with Mrs. Meany? Do you think that Owen was really the result of a virgin birth? Maybe I suffer from doubt and not faith but to me the most logical explanation was the one that John originally had himself that she didn't know what happened to her...perhaps someone other than Mr. Meany took advantage of her and Owen was the product of that?

Were you disappointed by the fact that Lewis Merrill turned out to be John's father? I wanted it to be more flowery than that...more of an "ah-ha" moment...something I should have expected all along.

Although the book didn't move me to tears, I too found John's character to be slightly tragic. And although I did NOT like Owen for the first half of the book, I grew to care for him. I took me quite some time to get past him talking in capital letters. Did any of you ever get a good sense of how his voice was supposed to sound? Like a scream? And what was the reason that God had not made his voice change? So the others could hear him clearly in the scene where he died?

A good book...interesting read, if not slow to start. But I guess it's a good sign when the book leaves you with questions.

Kylix

[the_lissa]

I don't like John Irving really, but I love this book.

[operamommy]

*covers eyes* I haven't read this one yet, but I'm an Irving fan. Glad to hear it's good. I last read "A Widow for One Year" and wasn't all that thrilled with it - not quite sure why, though.

[Wilhemina]

Originally Posted by Kylix

Some things left me with some questions... What do you think was wrong with Mrs. Meany? Do you think that Owen was really the result of a virgin birth? Maybe I suffer from doubt and not faith but to me the most logical explanation was the one that John originally had himself that she didn't know what happened to her...perhaps someone other than Mr. Meany took advantage of her and Owen was the product of that?

It's been many books ago that I read this, but drawing on what I remember:

Re Mrs. Meany: she is one of many voiceless female "characters" including, the virgin statue, the mannequin, John's cousin (voiceless during her upbringing at least), John's Aunt, John's mother was silent re: John's paternity and had to leave town in order to find a part of her voice, the twin's mother in the dormitory.
From John's narrative p.o.v., the women who were strong enough to speak were basically harpies - remembering both grandmother and cousin. Perhaps this is realistic for an adolescent male?? None of the female characters was as complex as many of the male characters - again maybe realistic for an adolescent male p.o.v.?

The voices of these charcters, especially the statue, mannequin, and twin's mother, are essentially what Owen and John project onto them. This seems dead-on for adolescents. However, the male characters largely escape this fate. I found that perplexing.

I know that doesn't address your question. :

[Kylix]

Thanks for trying to answer my question, Wilhemina. I hadn't really noticed that about the female characters but now that you mention it...the male characters WERE much more developed. I haven't read any other Irving books...is this something he does in all his books?

Kylix

[Alkenny]

It's been years since I read it, but it is Irving's best work, IMO. And I agree with the poster that said not to see the movie. They really butchered that one.

[lorijds]

The reason his voice didn't change was so that it sounded like a Vietnamese child's voice. So that he could speak to the children, and they would understand him and follow his orders.

I love this book, too. I love it on a purely superficial level--it's a good story. I love it on an academic level--it's well written; the role of religion and government; the role of women; Johhny's own tragic obsession; it's amazing on so many levels.

I think it's his best novel. It's certainly the one that has stuck with me the most. I, too, love the humor in it. I love how almost everyone is sympathetic and complex. I appreciate that in a story.

Though I do love "Garp" as well. That's got some very memorable characters....