'Birdsong' by Sebastian Faulkes

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evenstar88

I've just finished it. It was extremely moving..but too sexually explicit for my liking.
For some strange reason 'Private Peaceful' by Michael Morpugo, which is aimed at 10-12 year olds,moved me much much more.
'Birdsong' is more gritty and goes deep into how war affects the soldiers. The images of horror that Stephen sees are haunting but there's something about it that i didnt completely feel comfortable with....perhaps it was the way adultery was treated. I mean Elizabeth doesnt have any guilty feelings about her affair.
Anyway , the most moving part for me was when Jack and stephen are underground and Jack describes his love for his dead son and Stephen says that he will have a child for Jack. That part was so poignant.
I give the novel about 7/10
What do you think?

ITA re: Private Peaceful, and I have to say that although the Regeneration trilogy was sexually explicit, that didn't bother me - what bothered me about Birdsong was the constant chopping and changing from decade to decade - I ended up skipping all the parts not directly related to WW1, and was rather confused.

Reply 21

Jonah Ramone

Ah yes, Sebastien's Bridsong. I read this during my A-Levels. The only set text I ever enjoyed. Incredibly moving, a powerful insight into commaraderie during the war. I must say I was quite shocked at the explicitness of the sexual encounters at first, but you can appreciate that Faulks is trying to contrast the tenderness of human affection to the atrocities of the war.

One of my favourite novels ever. 9, nay even 10/10.