Customer Reviews

The Georgics

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To me, this is Simon's greatest novel alongside "The Flanders Road." It's been almost twenty years since I read it, but I still remember the powerful way in which he describes war. The other aspect that stands out is the way he spans across generations, including even a character obviously inspired by George Orwell, during his years fighting in the Spanish Civil war. But the part I loved the most was the general's letters to his servant Batti. They provided the perfect emotional counterpoint to the war scenes. Simon's style is challenging, as always, and it may take you more than one attempt to get "into" the book. It usually does for me when I read Simon, but I almost always feel deeply gratified by the end. The implications of his endings can leave you reeling.

He's never really caught on with literate English-language readers the way he should. It's a shame, because he was one of the greatest novelists of the 20th century.

Simon's style takes some getting used to and a great deal of patience and concentration by the reader. Persistence pays off with insights into the waste and uselessness of war, not a book for those interested in a just a good read.