A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving c. 1989
This was a thoroughly enjoyable, transporting read about the lives of a generation of people (from the early 50s - mid 80s) in a small town in New Hampshire. Of course, the main person we learn about is Owen Meany, told through the eyes of his best friend, Johnny Wheelright. We meet them when they are about 10 years old and follow them up until their early 20s. The characters are all rich and fascinating, with one glaring exception, the narrarator, Wheelright. I was really tepid on him as he was so apathetic, wishy-washy and well, pretty boring to read about. So the mechasim of the modern-day "flash forwards" (to his life in the 80s when this book was written, looking back on his childhood-early adult years) had me struggling at times. However, the "flashbacks" are awesome. At its core, this is Owen Meany's story and what a wonderful story it is. He is easily my favorite literary character in a decade or more of voracious fiction reading. Owen is a tiny/undersized person who has a voice impediment, both of which he overcomes in amazing ways to become a local hero of sorts. He is sweet, honest (to the point of being incredibly funny), perhaps a genius; and he thinks he is the instrument of God. By by the end of his story, one has to wonder ~ or at least you might look at things a bit differently. It is impossible to give too much of a review in specifics without giving away the novel's magic, so I will just say it is wonderful and when I usually groan about the "pulling all the pieces together" end portion of most books, this one held some real surprises. This is a weaving of many different plot lines that come together in a really cool way. Highly recommended for so many readers ~ the book visit topics such as the Vietman War (protestors and soldiers alike), academic life an all boys acadamy, the humorous nuances of structured religions (Episcopol vs. Catholic vs. Congregationsists, etc.), the genesis of television, the beauty of a non-traditional family and the lifelong impact of having an amazing "best friend." The only reason I did not give this one 5 stars is because of the tedious narrarator. But overall, it was a very entertaining read and well worth the time.
4 stars out of 5