Warlight, Michael Ondaatje. 2018 304 pages It is perhaps a bit curmudgeonly to pan a best-selling fiction author’s work, but I found this book impossible to recommend and almost impossible to read to the end. Perhaps I am too unfamiliar with the era (mid-1940s) and geography (London and surroundings) to fully appreciate the complexity and symbolism. The plot is extremely complicated and in places I got completely confused in trying to figure out who he was talking about and the timeline as well as the geography. On the plus side, the story, although completely fictional, reminds modern readers that WWII did not end abruptly at Yalta, and that history cannot be packaged into discrete units. At this distance, many non-historians are inclined to think of WWII as having an abrupt beginning and ending and textbooks oversimplify it as 1939-45. In reality, the intriguing, double-dealing, secretive world of international espionage is not dependent on overt wars and has always provided career opportunities for adventurers and fiction writers alike. I was left confused by all of the loose ends, although trying to tie them together was what some members of our book club liked about this story. For example;. what did the narrator’s father really do? Was his mother a double agent or in criminal activity- he mentions that he assumes that she is returning to Britain to serve a prison sentence, but never even hints at what she has done to be convicted of a crime. Who, if not the son, the estranged narrator, who is the only relative at the funeral, planned and arranged her funeral, as he expresses surprise at what has been arranged? Some sentences are either complete nonsense or beyond my limited comprehension. “Such friendships replaced family life, yet I could remain at a distance, which is my flaw.” . “….a wild unnecessary essential unforgotten human moment.” How can anything be both unnecessary and essential? I found Felon’s tying and description of flies for fishing totally unbelievable. With no apparent tools, it is impossible to tie a blue wing olive nymph, or a Woolly Bugger. As an amateur fly tier for the last 25 years, I find the former fly difficult to tie even with all the modern fly-tying tools and Youtube videos to guide me. Overall, I cannot recommend this book. Read a summary if you feel compelled to impress people by discussing it.

One thought on “Warlight, Michael Ondaatje. 2018 304 pages It is perhaps a bit curmudgeonly to pan a best-selling fiction author’s work, but I found this book impossible to recommend and almost impossible to read to the end. Perhaps I am too unfamiliar with the era (mid-1940s) and geography (London and surroundings) to fully appreciate the complexity and symbolism. The plot is extremely complicated and in places I got completely confused in trying to figure out who he was talking about and the timeline as well as the geography. On the plus side, the story, although completely fictional, reminds modern readers that WWII did not end abruptly at Yalta, and that history cannot be packaged into discrete units. At this distance, many non-historians are inclined to think of WWII as having an abrupt beginning and ending and textbooks oversimplify it as 1939-45. In reality, the intriguing, double-dealing, secretive world of international espionage is not dependent on overt wars and has always provided career opportunities for adventurers and fiction writers alike. I was left confused by all of the loose ends, although trying to tie them together was what some members of our book club liked about this story. For example;. what did the narrator’s father really do? Was his mother a double agent or in criminal activity- he mentions that he assumes that she is returning to Britain to serve a prison sentence, but never even hints at what she has done to be convicted of a crime. Who, if not the son, the estranged narrator, who is the only relative at the funeral, planned and arranged her funeral, as he expresses surprise at what has been arranged? Some sentences are either complete nonsense or beyond my limited comprehension. “Such friendships replaced family life, yet I could remain at a distance, which is my flaw.” . “….a wild unnecessary essential unforgotten human moment.” How can anything be both unnecessary and essential? I found Felon’s tying and description of flies for fishing totally unbelievable. With no apparent tools, it is impossible to tie a blue wing olive nymph, or a Woolly Bugger. As an amateur fly tier for the last 25 years, I find the former fly difficult to tie even with all the modern fly-tying tools and Youtube videos to guide me. Overall, I cannot recommend this book. Read a summary if you feel compelled to impress people by discussing it.”

1. I have Warlight on my shelf and I love Michael Ondaatje’s writings. I loved In the Skin of a Lion and read The English Patient twice, not something I do often. You are right, his books can be confusing and you find yourself having to work at understanding what is going on, where are you, etc.? but the writing is so wonderful! I guess sometimes our tests differ Cam.

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