THE WAR OF DON EMMANUEL'S NETHER PARTS: A NOVEL [Paperback]

Louis De Bernieres (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback
• Publisher: THE WAR OF DON EMMANUEL'S NETHER PARTS: A NOVEL (1990)
• ASIN: B002JSH61M
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (36 customer reviews)

More About the Author

Louis de Bernieres was awarded the Commonwealth Writers Prize for Best Book Eurasia Region in 1991 and 1992, and for Best Book in 1995. He was selected by Granta as one of the twenty Best of Young British Novelists in 1993, and lives in Norfolk, East Anglia.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Riveting Story, Brilliant Writer, December 11, 1999

By 

Ben Lorincz (Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The War of Don Emmanuel's Nether Parts (Paperback)

The War of Don Emmanuel's Nether Parts is one of the most original books I have ever read. It is, in turns, witty and horrific but always engaging. Having travelled throughout South America myself, I found myself nodding and laughing at his cultural refrences such as the Ford Falcons. De Bernieres writing style evokes Garcia Marquez but with edgier prose. This book left me smiling and wanting more.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Strong novel that owes much to Gabriel Garcia Marquez, September 29, 1999

By 

Patrick O'Duffy (Melbourne, Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The War of Don Emmanuel's Nether Parts (Paperback)

De Bernieres' first novel owes a great deal to Gabriel Garcia Marquez's 100 YEARS OF SOLITUDE. It's to de Bernieres' credit that this novel goes beyond mere pastiche and claims its own intellectual and artistic territory.

At once grim and hilarious, THE WAR OF... traces a swirl of events that occur within a fictional (and unnamed) South American country, focusing on the inhabitants of a single village. The language is strong, the imagery clear and effective. The story is drenched in absurdism and magic realism (two favourite subjects of mine), occasionally going a little too far with such (particularly towards the end).

Pacing is uneven - a persistant problems with first novels - and it may take a little work and effort to get past the first 50-odd pages, to where the book's energy and direction takes form. But soldier on - despite its flaws, this is an intelligent, well-written book, solidly worth your time.

(I've yet to read de Bernieres' other novels, but I plan to track them down, based on the strength of this book. That's one of the best recommendations I can give, frankly.)

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The war of Don Emanuelle's nether parts, January 20, 2001

By 

John Bray (Scotland) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The War of Don Emmanuel's Nether Parts (Paperback)

Brilliant! A captivating and funny book filled with romance, passion and confrontation. Tender in parts ,aggressive in others truely a typical DeBernieres novel. Those familliar with his later written ,and more well known "Captain Correli's mandolin" may find this book a little more violent and political than his later peices, also the romance element is far less prominent. Unfortunately those who like their fictional novels to take a non-fictional slant may be put off by some of the more outlandish plot developements, however this shouldn't put you off the book completely. If anything the "weird and wonderfull"(yet sometimes not so pleasant) events of the book help to accentuate the passionate emotions present throughout the novel. A great read for anyone who appreciates a little peculiarity, adventure and suspense in a novel.