Rated of 5
by Alice Life Class
I enjoyed every inch, every word of this book. The characters were young, eager to experience life but they were unpredictable. Just when I was sure that they had established a relationship, the relationship would take an unexpected twist to the extent that their unpredictability became predictable.
The book contains interesting words that were probably used during World War, "sixpennies", I had never heard of that.
I would recommend this book only to readers who can be entertained by the author's character development of young artists as well as descriptions of their various environments. If you are looking for a sensational plot...this isn't the book.
Rated of 5
by Mary Art As Life
At first glance, Life Class appears to be a light hearted look at life in London during the days leading up to World War I. It is only after beginning Part Two that the reader becomes aware of Pat Barker's skill at painting word pictures which draw one into the times and attitudes surrounding war and its human consequences. A moving, thought-provoking book of a time in history which present day society has forgotten along with the lessons the horror of World War I taught the world. Lessons swallowed up by apathy and denial.
Rated of 5
by Mary Jo Life Class Life Class lives up to the excellence and economic elegance of Pat Barker's previous offerings. Winner of the Booker Prize for fiction, Barker is a marvelous chronicler of WW1 England. While not a part of the Regeneration Trilogy, Life Class covers the same time period - just before and during the early part of the "war to end all wars."
Four characters, three from art school, are presented. They are young and ignorant of the world about them. Two go off to the ambulance corps. No one remains the same.
Barker paints her subjects with a light brush. Paul is the most described but this does not matter. The real topic is the war and its impact. For those who have read the Regeneration Trilogy, Barker's newest book will be very welcome. To those who have not had that pleasure, you have some great reading ahead!
Rated of 5
by Christine War is Hell
Being a fan of historical fiction, I enjoyed Pat Barker's novel, Life Class. She is skillfull in settiing the scenes of London, the English countryside and of war. The reader is able to experience the sights, sounds and even the smells that surround her characters. A good read and I would recommend it.
Rated of 5
by Sandra Life Class
Before reading this book, I had not read any of Pat Barker's novels. If this is her "superb new novel," I am quite disappointed. This book has nothing in it to keep me engaged or interested. The characters are thin, the time line keeps jumping... and the story, for me, has no passion. Reading this novel was work.
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