This book had so much going for it. Set in WWII, de Bernieres tells the tale of a doctor and his daughter living in Greece. The focus of the book is on the daughter as she is initially wooed by a local fisherman, but later falls in love with an Italian captain, Corelli, who is living in their home while Greece is occupied.
de Bernieres does an amazing job of weaving together multiple storylines as we are introduced to a number of quirky and interesting characters, and we fall in love with them all. Seriously, this is no easy task. He makes each person come alive, and we care about them. He also manages to sneak in an enormous amount of history about this particular location in Greece and the hardships of WWII. It's heartbreaking and romantic and graphic, and yet it is also very literary and the story is revealed to you in small bite sized chapters.
It was well on the way to the Pomerantz pantheon of 5 stardom until the last 60 pages or so.
I'm not quite sure how to share my critique without revealing any spoilers, but let's just say that whereas the rest of the book was delightfully paced and written, the last 60 pages races through around 50 years of history, introduces several new characters you don't care about, and then ends with a very unbelievable misunderstanding that basically could have been rectified in about five different ways - - all of them fairly easy. In his quest to create a romantic, heartbreaking denouement, I think he just went way over the top. And not in a good way.
So, the book gets 4 stars, but justifiably could get less. I just couldn't fail to give credit for the delightful writing that beguiled me for the first 300 pages. It was a very nice ride that fell flat. ( )

Pelagia lives with her father Dr. Iannis on the Greek Island of Cephalonia. They have a relatively idyllic existence until WWII begins, taking Pelagia's fiance to the front, and until the Italian and German occupation of the island starts in 1941. Pelagia and her father are initially suspect when they are required to host an Italian captain, Antonio Corelli, but over the course of his stay, the captain manages to win them over with his gentle charm and beautiful mandolin playing, and eventually, he and Pelagia fall in love. But the war rages on and when Antonio and Pelagia are separated, they do not know when or if they will meet again.

I wasn't sure I would enjoy this; I had lumped it in my head with The English Patient (both acclaimed literary war novels that I bought at the same time from a library book sale with movie tie-in covers, I guess?) which didn't really work for me when I read it last year. But I really enjoyed this one! The setting is gorgeous and Bernieres does a good job of balancing the parts that dive into the atrocities of war with the less gruesome but still difficult aspects of the war's effect on normal people. I also appreciated that this book didn't end with the war ending, but instead gave us closure. 4 stars. ( )

Captain Corelli’s Mandolin is a sweeping narrative set in equal parts war, love, history, and philosophy. The story takes place on the Ionian island of Cephalonia from before its invasion by Italy during World War II, through the tragic earthquake of 1953, and ultimately to the 1990s.

Author de Bernières masterfully applied tried-and-true techniques to build strong, rememberable characters and set illustrious scenes. Like a song that changes chord, Captain Corelli’s Mandolin seamlessly shifts forms between chapters at once epistole, to first-person narrative, and third-person narrative.

Generally recommended for anyone looking for a well-written, immersive, and moving story. ( )

Good book, good movie, good read. ( )

Historical fiction set on the Greek island of Cephalonia during the Axis powers’ occupation in WWII. The first part focuses on a young Greek woman, Pelagia, and her widowed physician father, Dr. Iannis. Pelagia learns medical techniques by watching her father, and she is educated beyond the typical level (especially for a woman of the time) due to being the doctor’s only child. She and a local fisherman, Mandras, fall in love and get engaged. He goes off to fight the war on the Albanian front. During his absence, Pelagia writes to him but never receives a reply. Meanwhile, Captain Antonio Corelli, the leader of the Italian occupying forces, is housed with Dr. Iannis and Pelagia. He is no zealot – his goal is to have “a peaceful war.” At first Pelagia is determined to resist the occupiers, but she gradually begins to admire Corelli, especially when he plays his mandolin. Mandras returns and Pelagia must decide what to do.

The author gradually develops the romantic liaison between Corelli and Pelagia. In fact, this entire story is gradually layered. All of these characters are complex and come across as authentic, with both strengths and flaws. There are a number of secondary characters that complement the primary storylines, and they are beautifully rendered. For example, the (gay) relationship between Carlo and Francesco is both sweet and tragic. There is also a wayward priest and a strongman. They are eccentric and memorable characters, and they add depth to the narrative.

One of the primary themes is the adverse effects of ideologies on ordinary people. It includes real historical figures such as Mussolini, Hitler, and Metaxas. We follow Mandras from happy-go-lucky fisherman to vindictive soldier. Another main theme is the different types of love – brotherly, religious, romantic, familial, and sacrificial. This novel is a condemnation of totalitarianism. The author employs musical themes to offset some of the horrors of war.

This is a five-star read for the first three-quarters. The author took time in developing details and layers of setting and characters during the war. The last quarter takes large leaps in time and feels rushed in comparison. As a warning, war-time atrocities are vividly depicted.

4.5
( )