For Whom the Bell Tolls
Ratings180
Average rating3.9
Classic Hemingway. Years later I was luck enough to go on a hike for several days in the mountains of Northern Spain and be constantly reminded of this book - this is a testament to how well Hemingway paints his imagery.
Hemingway is capable of a near perfect style but he doesn't seem to be aware that if he just let it be, it would be sufficient. So he ruins books by having too much plot. This one in particular had, imo, (it's all imo), a butchered ending, one that turns the whole story into propaganda of sorts, a book with a thesis.
But that's just the last 10 or so pages, so still many many pages of great reading.
It's been a good week since I read the book but I still can't stop thinking about it. This is my first Hemingway book, I'm excited to read more.
This was the fifth Hemingway novel I've read this year, and by far the most ambitious in length, scope, topic, and style. This classic follows Robert Jordan, American Spanish professor turned Republican Demolition officer in the Spanish Civil War as he leads a small guerrilla band to destroy a bridge that will play an important tactical role in an upcoming battle (as will its destruction). This classic has been analyzed, reviewed and studied far more intensely and deeply than I do around here, so I'll stick to some general impressions/observations.
First, this took me a long time to read – sure, it's chock-full of Hemingway's deceptively simple prose, but something about this one took forever to slog through. I'm not sure why – and what it says about the quality of the book – but this took 4-5 days longer than I thought it should to read.
Hemingway didn't pull any punches at all with foreshadowing, pretty much every plot point is predicted within the first 50 pages or so. And then you're hit over the head with them for the rest of the book.
Even though this is a third person narrative, it felt far more personal and intimate than his previous novels – even those that were told in first person.
The part of the book where Pilar describes how she, Pablo and others took over their hometown from the Fascists? Horrific, totally believable and it'll stick with me far longer than any of the shenanigans regarding the bridge will.
Oh, hey, finally know where the silly phrase, “the earth moved” (and the interrogative form) comes from. Speaking of that, is it just me, or does it take people longer to fall in love in a Nora Ephron script than in a Hemingway novel? Sure, whatever, it's war . . . things are more intense, things happen faster, yada, yada yada. Not buying it. Forever and ever, amen love should take more time than it does to brew a cup of coffee.
I liked it.
There is the “basic” story of guerillas hiding in the mountains in spain and the dynamiteer who has come to blow up a bridge. That story is rather good and interesting, although somewhat lengthy. However the inner monologues and the amount that isn't said in the intercharacter dialogue makes for a look into the intricacies of one side of the Spanish Civil War. The various beliefs, the hopes and dreams and the stark reality that meets in the various characters that this novel encompass.
Take it for what it is, but there is no doubt (in my mind) that Ernest Hemingway was an idealist that fought in the Spanish Civil War, and in that war was forced to face a stark realism that contrasted with his ideals. Furthermore he also witness how others saw the war and the ideals they fought for. And that's what the story is ultimately about.
Will maybe return to write more about this great book once it's settled in my mind.
Forced myself to finish this but only by listening to the audio at 2x speed.
I was expecting to loathe this book. It was nothing like I expected.
Yes, For Whom the Bell Tolls is about war. There are all the horrors of war in this book. But nothing was extraneous, gratuitous, undeserved. And the book was about so much more than just war. Hemingway delves into relationships and honor and courage and heroism.
It is a great book.
Bello. Personaggi interessanti e contesto storico realistico. Un pelino lungo 7
There is a part of me that wanted to enjoy this book (which it did), and there is a part of me that had made up my mind that I didn't care much for Hemingway based on my impressions as a teenager reading something assigned to me 25 years ago. I am glad I stuck it out and finished this one.
Starting the title and the allusion to Donne, the theme of connectedness is woven into the narrative skillfully. I mean that sincerely. There are times when Hemingway is overt about it, with the characters openly acknowledging the connectedness of the world. Yet, much of Robert Jordan's personal reflections deal with this theme, and his musings connect him to his past and the future in interesting ways.
The theme of death also appeared constantly. Hemingway dealt with it squarely and effectively, though the characters can come off as callous to it. Is that because they're fighting a war? Possibly, yet the scene of Anselmo's death shows the reader that these characters, particularly Jordan and Pilar, are capable of being deeply affected by death. In step with the connection theme, the loss of Anselmo dims Jordan's outlook on their mission.
Readers really need a basic understanding of the context in which the narrative occurs. It was not difficult to obtain. A quick review of the Wikipedia entry on the Spanish Civil War, though not acceptable for those embarking on serious academic study of the text, will suffice for the casual reader.
I cannot close a review of this book without commenting on the language. Hemingway's use of thee, thou, etc. is distracting but easily managed. I have read that it was a deliberate attempt to represent the types of broken English spoken by non-native speakers as well as how English can accommodate the multiple second person verb forms found in Spanish. Either way, the language neither adds nor detracts from the text for me, but it could be a stumbling block for other readers. The deliberate avoidance of expletives was another such literary decision.
Would I recommend this one to all of my friends? No. However, for those looking for an accessible, enjoyable classic, this one is an option.
Slow burn. I was growing frustrated by the slow pacing, and maybe I would have given up but it's the only book that Nick has read twice so I stuck with it and, god, I'm glad that I did. Goddamn.
I remember liking parts of this book, but like most Hemingway, it's long-winded and a little boring in spots. I need to re-read it so my post-highschool brain can reinterpret what happens...
Obviously, this is a very famous book but, to be honest, I found it long winded and over-long and I was exhausted but the endless dialogues and monologues that I didn't thoroughly enjoy the good parts when I finally got there, and there are plenty of good parts.
