Private Peaceful - Michael Morpurgo

Michael Morpurgo was born in 1943, he attended schools in London, Sussex and Canterbury. He went on to London University to study English and French, he started teaching in a primary school in Kent. It was while he was there that he discovered what he wanted to do. "We had to read the children a story every day and my lot were bored by the book I was reading. I decided I had to do something and told them the kind of story I used to tell my kids - it was like a soap opera, and they focused on it. I could see there was magic in it for them, and realised there was magic in it for me." I originally published this review on ciao in 2006 and as I sometimes ...  Read the complete review

I am reviewing Private Peaceful by Michael Morpurgo. I read this novel in my English class at school and I am going to explain what happens in the novel, who the characters are, what I think are the best and worst bits and why, and what I would do personally to the novel to make it a better book. The main character in this novel by Michael Morpurgo is Thomas Peaceful because the book is written in the first person as if he is telling the novel. You get an in-sight into what he is thinking (sometimes almost like a monologue) and the book follows him around. Everything is seen from his perspective. Another character who is a real centre of attention in this ...  Read the complete review

Private Peaceful is without a doubt the best book I have ever read. It is a book that will make you laugh and cry but is certainly not a book you will forget in a hurry. It begins with eighteen-year-old Private Thomas Peaceful on the battlefields of the First World War looking back over his countryside childhood. These memories are fond ones of his life back at home with his mother, father, brothers 'Big Joe' and Charlie and best friend Molly. As you read through these memories you will become lost in the innocence of youth and the happiness of friendship. The story however isn't quite what it seems, as the First World War breaks out Thomas and ...  Read the complete review

I was never one for reading war stories , but after i was recomended this book i thought i might as well give it a go. It was the first Michel Morphurgo book i ever read and i havent stoped reading his books yet. The story of Private Peacful is a emotive tale of a young boy who adores his family more than anything. Tommo Peacful lives in a village cottage with his mother and his two brothers Charlie and Big joe. His Father had died in a wood cutting incedent that he blames himself for. The story tells of how Tommo grows up in adoration of his caring brother Charlie and how he would never do anythting without him. So when Charlie is told he has to go to war Tommo ...  Read the complete review

This book is not one I would usually pick up and read. Infact I don't think I would take a second glance at this book and would most likely disregard it as a boring war book. but after recieving it ad a gift and all the uncannily good things my colleges and friends have told me of it, I thought I must give it a read, afterall it couldnt hurt to give it a go? All my preconceptions dissapeared after I began to read the book. The storyline and plot was so structured and the split narrative was so deep and detailed that you really could invision the story and the plot charecters so deeply. Morpegos imagery and subtle writing techniques really make you feel such a ...  Read the complete review