A book, not a film! (Captain Corelli's Mandolin - Louis de Bernieres)

Member Name: itsonlyme

Product:	Captain Corelli's Mandolin - Louis de Bernieres
Date:	10/06/01 (97 review reads)
Rating:

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Here we see another classic case of a book only being given the recognition it deserves when the high profile (and usually inferior) big screen film version is on show. This is again the case with captain Corelli?s mandolin, whereby the far, far superior book gets some final recognition by the distinctly average movie.

Set in 1941, Captain Antonio Corelli is a young Italian army officer sent to the Greek island of Cephallonia. Living in a tranquil and idyllic location, the villagers first outcast the intrusion, but soon realise that Corelli is far more cultured and educated than what they had perceived and begin to grow to like him. When a romantic interest between Corelli and the local doctors daughter emerges, things start to complicate, and a matrix of love interests start to compound the tension that is caused by the ongoing war.
As complex and possibly uninteresting as it may sound, the book does a wonderful job at depicting the million and one things that seem to always be going on. Times are never simple, and despite the hectic activity, the book still manages to portray a relaxed and easy going read, something that deserved commendment

Proving an insightful read, CCM offers far more perceptive view of the second world war, and the detail is far more underlying, with great sub-plots and intelligence written into the book, that the viewers of the film will ultimately miss out upon. For me there is no comparison of the two, and only after reading this book by Louis De Bernieres do you realise just how distinctly average the movie itself is.
While the book might not Have Nicholas cage, the plot and character development are handled in a far better-quality way, while the depth of the book goes beyond what most would imagine.

Note: this book can now be bought for the incredibly low price of £5, making it wondeful value for money. See http://www.alphabetstreet.co.uk

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