A Tale of Love Amidst a Violent Struggle

There's nothing more fitting as a first post than a feature on my favorite book, Captain Corelli's Mandolin.

This novel by Louis de Bernières is set in the pre-WWII era. It tells of the story of a community in the small Greek island of Cephalonia. It centers on the life of a Pelgaia Iannis, a fiercely independent and loving daughter of a well-loved village doctor, and the apple of the eye of Mandras, a Cephalonian fisherman of simple means.

Despite the idyllic and oftentimes funny going-ons in this small island, there was a sudden tension in the when the Italian forces found their way to their remote village, getting ready to heighten their forces for the upcoming war.

Captain Antonio Corelli is the officer-in-charge of the Italian regiment that settled in the heart of Cephalonia. Polite and cultured Antonio Corelli could not understand the vehemence of the villagers. The tension runs thick as Greek and Italian cultures clash and the people of Cephalonia treat the soldiers with as much disdain as they could muster.

Despite his military position, Corelli is a musician at heart and an extremely talented mandolin player who loves nothing more than to strum his instrument to his heart's desire. Captain Corelli crosses path with the lovely Pelgaia, as he lives in the village doctor's house by forced means. And despite the difficulties and trials between them, Pelgaia and Corelli fall in love.

Their affair lasted for a lifetime, struggling against a great world war and complicated their union because of their allegiances to their own countries. The war ravages the entire world, and especially the small whimsical village of Cephalonia. Corelli and Pelgaia's love are tested by great and incessant life-shattering events.

It is history at a level that readers will be able to understand. Captain Corelli's Mandolin simply unearths lives and stories on different levels, as it is a story of love and a brutal tale of war at the same time.

Comments

Places: PaperRockScissors the Perfect Craft Store in Davao

Listening to: "It's Time" - Imagined Dragons Hello everyone! This post is not exactly skin-care related, but I'd like to share something else tonight. Yes, it's a craft shop :) kind of weird, but you know my recently-aquired love for crafting and sewing, right? However nice Davao City is and its how accommodating its stores and establishments may be, hobby shops are definitely NOT dime a dozen from where I am. I can barely find things I want. National chains for school supplies and crafting items are not much help. But maybe that's my fault: I don't get out a lot. Well if I didn't go out last night for a dinner at Zabadani Cafe ( Grilled Syrian Chicken is just too yummy to pass up!), I would never know that what I needed was right under my nose! A recently-opened shop called Paper Rock Scissors is one of my recent finds. Located just a minute away from where I work is the hobby shop of my dreams! It is so quaint and pretty and houses a lot of craf...

Atoning

Okay so it's not a clever title. Well, I am currently reading Atonement by Ian McEwan (wow, I've been at this book for aaaages) and I am trying to atone for the lack of posts lately! We were having--- actually we still are having a tough time at home. We're moving!!! Been pretty busy with the repairs of the new home and packing all our stuff. *Sniff, Sniff* I feel really sad leaving our home. We've lived there for around 13 years. Hopefully we can all scramble and leave before September 18. And ugh, it's such a downer to spend September 19 unpacking and decorating our home. It's my b irthday , I was planning to host a Crab Party! :( Anyway, I thought I would just like to share my favorite quotes on Atonement , if you don't mind. I love this book. Everytime I read a passage that struck me, I hastily jot it down. The book is wonderfully written, it is so erudite! The story itself makes me contemplate on the dynamics of family, the strength of imagination ...

Go Home Faulkner, You're Drunk ('Difficult Books' series)

In my quest to 'broaden my literary horizon' I made a point to go out of this terrible 'complaisant zone' I am currently at. To be honest, my reading state is probably a lot bleaker that what I'm letting on: I have not finished a novel since three months ago! As penitensya for my incessant lack of drive and, I suppose, to jolt my brain back to the pace it used to enjoy prior to this reading drought, I decided that I must go the route of reading 'Difficult Books'. "A difficult book is still just a book", I told myself; how silly to get hung up on what other people say about how much of a PitA it is to slough through. I pride myself on reading basically everything I get my hands on. Because when all your life you've felt that reading a book was the warmest , most comfortable state to just be , it feels as natural as a breeze turning a page. So I grabbed a copy of William Faulkner's The Sound and the Fury . I am lucky enough to be at ...

Aicha Amano

Search This Blog