I thought I knew what this book was about. I’ve seen the movie Simon Birch and knew it was based on A Prayer for Owen Meany and I figured the book would be a better telling of the story in the movie. After all, isn’t the book always better than the movie?
I was right, of course, the book was better. The book was better in the way that Thanksgiving dinner is better than a turkey sandwich and chips. Now, I happen to like turkey sandwiches, especially one with smoked turkey, sundried tomatoes and havarti cheese, but even the best turkey sandwich isn’t a feast that spreads across the table and onto the counters.
If you liked this movie (or even if you didn’t) read this book. It is so full of coming to grips (or never really coming to grips) with the huge events in ones’ life. Those things that happen to us, or around us, that affect us in such a way that it takes the rest of our lives to fully absorb the impact. It’s about losing faith in God and finding it again. About knowing, and accepting, one’s destiny.
I started reading this book in tiny bites during my commute on the train and ended up finishing it in great gulps late at night when I should have been sleeping. This will stay on my shelf to be re-read in the future.
