Customer Reviews

The World I Made for Her

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is one of those books that make a reader work. The prose is compelling, the story engaging but Moran forces the reader to pay attention -- is James hallucinating? Is it fantasy or is it real? This would be a difficult book for some people to read because on one level it is about the loss of control -- of your mind and your body. I think Moran chooses his words carefully but achieves an astonishing balance -- his writing is not at all self-conscious. I will admit that I began to care about James so much that I worried about being able to finish the book -- so, I skipped ahead, read the end and then was able to go back and read the rest. If I hadn't, I doubt I would have been able to finish for the emotion. This is a wonderful book, and you should buy it.

Years of reading independently, and then what was required of me as an English major have left me clinging to and re-reading just less than a handful of books. As Moran suggests, in the end, what matters are the few true connections we have made to those we love. Books function in much the same way for me; few stories remain compelling regardless of how often I return to them. This book passes the test again and again.

Much like reading about the noteless, but wildly expressive world of the death, Moran's book explores the human capacity for expression on many subtle levels. James is unable to speak, but his dreams, his fantasies, his honed abilities to observe and reflect, all merge to create a character as rich, if not richer, than any imaginable speaking character.

How to sum up this story? It's chilling, luminous, perspective-altering.

superb writing, no dead wood or wasted words.

The scene is frightening, an ordinary man felled by a runaway virsus - strapped to a hospital bed, helpless, tubes running everywhere, drifting in and out of comas and drug inducted trances, unable to speak, no control whatsoever. All the more poignant, because the story is actually about love, the choice to be.

The man, James Blanchely, has every reason to be consumed with fear and self-pity, but he choses the other path and decides to love his two Irish nurses instead: Bridget for her wicked humor and buccaneer ways, Nuala for her strength and approach to the art of life. He loves them both, but he loves Nuala best.

As he drifts between conscious and unconscious worlds, not always sure is more real, James dreams a better world for Nuala than might be hers in real life. So vivid are the dreams and so much does he want her to enjoy a happy life that Nuala begins to share in the same dreams. Thus does their lives merge in a way that surpasses physical undrstanding.

I cared about all three of these characters, cheering them on, from near the beginning to the final fleeting kiss of life. Against the odds, against conventional wisdom, they chose love and had the courage to pursue it to the very end. Heroes!

I picked this book up on vacation and from the very first page, I was mesmerized by the beautiful, spare prose and the character as he develops. This is a book which is very intense, and drew my emotions out gradually and deeply. It has been added to my library of "never lend out" books, but believe me - I WILL tell others about it's magic. I read and reread the ending chapter, it was so intense. The author's notes after the last chapter just put the entire book into perspective for me. Buy it! Read it!!

Reading this book was one of the most touching literary experiences I have had in a very long time. It is fascinating to me how much the author can accomplish and still hold the reader's attention with so little action on the part of the main character. It has been almost 24 hours since I finished reading the book and the raw emotions I felt are still with me. The author's exploration of life, relationships, and loneliness are priceless. Any book that can arouse this level of emotion is well worth the read.

James Blatchley, the narrator of Thomas Moran's second novel, "The World I Made for Her" finds himself in a terrifyingly real predicament: stricken by a minor childhood disease that leaves him unable to walk, speak, or breathe on his own.

Completely helpless, he is cared for by two Irish nurses--the bawdy, outgoing Brigit, who has a penchant for shooting up the narcotics meant for her patients, and the graceful, softspoken Nuala, nicknamed St. Nualala by Brigit for her demure behavior. James fixates upon Nuala and begins a love affair with her that exists only in his mind.

As the days wear on, James drifts in and out of consciousness, envisioning Nuala's daily routine, her past, and her aspirations and desires, as it soon becomes clear that Nuala needs James almost as much as he needs her.

The story is augmented by Moran's vividly straightforward prose and utterly believable characters. Told from James's point of view, the novel is also highly personal, as Moran himself fell ill with a minor childhood diease and spent five months in the hospital as the virus attacked his organs and nearly killed him. He recalls his own visions in hypnotic detail that underscores the redemptive, life-affirming power of love.

Moving, well written, tragic but very imaginative plot. I found it a remarkable contrast between his character's fluency in narration and his frustrated inability to articulate to those around him. Couldn't put the book down. I'm now looking forward to purchasing and reading The Man in the Box.

I had never heard of this book, and just bought it because it "looked good". I couldn't put it down, and have already read it twice (in less than six months! ) I've recommended it to everyone I know, and am afraid to lend it someone in case they don't return it! I am a physical therapist and sometimes feel that I have become "hardened" after working in the medical field, but this book made me cry! This is probably the best book I have read in several years!

A lot of books pass my desk in the course of a day being employed at a public library, many i put aside to read some other time, but this one i actually took home and jumped into immediately. The skill of Mr. Moran in meshing the two worlds of the known and unknown held my attention for the length of the novel..its not often that a new authors work of fiction grabs my heart so readily!

Mr. Moran is a genius of an author. He takes you totally inside the brain of a paralyzed but fully coherent young man. The book is somewhat traumatic, but "The World I Made for Her" takes you into a whole new place, it stretches your intellect, and isn't that what great fiction is all about? It's a love story, a medical mystery-thriller, and a great psychological study. It gets you thinking, "What would I do if this happened to me?"