Customer Reviews: Read 41 more reviews...
 Not for me! June 18, 2008
Inkspot (UK)
2 out of 4 found this review helpful
I bought this book (my first Hemingway) on the basis of the fantastic reviews given here. I am missing something because this book has gone completely over my head.
It took me a long time to read and had to force myself to keep going. The book, at nearly 500 pages, is far too long for the weak story line and the characters who were not brought to life by the author (with the possible exeption of "Pablo"). I didn't care enough for the central character and his love interest and had guessed the ending before reaching it.
Far from being impressed by Hemingway's heavily praised writing style, I found it detached and boring. The language translations from Spanish to English - "obsenity" this and "obsenity" that, made it difficult to read. Why not put the proper translations in if that is indeed how it was written? There were also lots of errors in the text which became annoying.
It would be interesting to see if anyone, having read this book, has similar feelings? Not being a regular reviewer but feeling so unusually disapointed after finishing this book, I wanted to share my opinions.
 More Hype than Life June 10, 2008
Pillowtail (UK)
0 out of 3 found this review helpful
Well, it took a long time coming for me to read this and although it was good, I have read much, much better. It seemed more like a Hollywood film script in places, hero dying at the end, the lurve interest, the landscape for atmosphere. By all means read it, but Orwell and Malraux wrote much more compelling stuff about Spain. If its war you want, then I suggest Grossman or Ledig for the horror. I was actually quite disappointed with this book, and perhaps its reputation preceding it, hindered its reception. I was glad when it was over, so I could get on to something stronger.
 Simply.... March 6, 2008
Mr. F. I. Dudaniec
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Simply one of the best books ever written, and simply written, by a master in his prime, understated and very sensitive. Beautiful love story.
Disturbing Vision January 11, 2008
R. J. Carson
Reading For Whom the Bell Tolls gives rise to some very disturbing thoughts. It is a very honest and raw novel that seems to reveal so much about the ideas and emotions of the author. However one continually feels that it is the vision of someone who is unable to see another culture on its own terms or to get over his own feeling of cultural superiority. The only real character in the novel is Robert Jordan. All the Spanish characters are presented as 'other', 'primitive', 'different' and from a different sort of intellectual and moral universe than Robert Jordan. Robert Jordan is rational skilled and able to bring a superiority of skill that will help these needy folks in there time of despair. His heroism and ability to be tenderhearted is contrasted with everyone else in the book. The only nationality of any real comprehensible feeling is Amierican.The stories of the other characters as archetypical rather than real in anyway. This makes them all rather sentimental and two dimensional.
Robert Jordan seems to be a tragic version of superman trying desperately to have credibility in the world of ideas. Yet the book examines history and politics in the most superficial of ways. It is not really a book about the Civil War as much as it is a book about blindness. The blindness that exists between men and leaves them unaware of their own limited thinking. Robert Jordan thinks he understands Spain yet what is revealed is his incredible inability to ever enter into the world of people who do not come from his own background. He studies the people and language but never has anything other than the most superficial of responses.
The book however is a very powerful evocation of this type of seductive thinking. One is carried along on a wave of 'small guy' leftish compassion and seduced by the goodness of the heroism. The madness of the book is brilliant. The love of machines and strategy is exiting. The language is crazy and exciting and used like great rough building blocks to create a world of terror and passion. You can never deny that it is an individual and memorable creation. It is honest and wonderful.
The war in Spain is simply a backdrop rather than something that is really examined. You can't help thinking that Hemingway needed it much more than it needed him.
For Whom the Bell Tolls October 5, 2007
Spider Monkey (UK)
6 out of 6 found this review helpful
This is another masterly work from Hemingway. When he gets it right, he gets it OH so right. You have more tight, evocative language that conjure up the landscapes the characters live in, and wonderful characterisation so that you fully engage and sympathise with them. This is a great look at the Spanish civil war from the guerrillas point of view, with the assistance of an American explosives expert. It has romance, chivalry, betrayal, adventure and the rougher side of human nature. What more could you want from one novel? If you like Hemingway then this is another great novel and if you're new to him, this may not be the best starting place, but you'll still not be disappointed.
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