Mister Pip (edit title)

• Rated 4 stars

“Very good book, not too long, but a well told story”

• Rated 5 stars

“Wonderful coming of age story about how a story becomes reality, and lives intertangled become both clear and confused. ”

• Rated 0 stars

“Review by Lavana H.
“This I such a beautiful piece of literature in its own right, and its link to Great Expectations makes it even more so. The characters are vivid, easily seen and understood. They leap off the page into the room to live their story right here with us, and what a story it is. Full of conflict, terror, sadness, mental illness, great literature, war, vicious violence, hatred, enemies, and deep love. Such a little book, but each and every word counts. Each word is fully necessary to the story, with nothing left out and nothing extra. Exquisite writing.

So what is this story? This is the story of the effect of a war on one young girl and her parents in a small village on a tiny South Pacific island. Lloyd Jones paints a picture both personal and large. Because of the siege on the island the school closes, but Mr. Watts, an eccentric island neighbor assumes the role of teacher and his main source of curriculum is reading Great Expectations to the children. The children devour the story and it extends to even affect their parents in ways that are not immediately evident. Even if you have not read Great Expectations, you will enjoy the many references to it, and the meaning that it has in these people’s lives. ”
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• Rated 5 stars

“Oh this book.....I LOVED IT. One of the best books out of NZ and I almost cried when it did not win the Booker.”

• Rated 5 stars

“Well written with an imaginative twist of Pip - the story includes violence in a rural Island community that seems to be included in so many books in recent years. ”

• Rated 3 stars

“I used to live in PNG so I ws interested in this book but it was a bit disappointing, can't put my finger on why though, just lacking something.”

• Rated 4 stars

“This was definitely a different and memorable book. I still haven't decided if I really liked it. In the end, there is a lot left uncertain, and I like more closure, but the story itself is wonderful. It is sad and funny and precious and heartbreaking.”

• Rated 4 stars

“Absolutely excellent with well-developed characters. As with most stories of civil war, there are raw descriptions of violence. A reminder that there can be hell in even on an island paradise. ”

• Rated 3 stars

“This is a strange book that reads like a fantasy or allegory. ”

• Rated 3 stars

“Slow to get into, especially in developing a time and place, but the characters are beautiful and the experiences of Matilda bring an awareness of reality and how wise she is. It made me think of Mr. Dickens in a different light as well.”