Another '1001 Book' - and it will be my first Hemingway too! Am looking forward to compare it to 'The Enormous Room' by e. e. cummings (another WWI book I've read recently) - and also to see if I can identify Hemingway's famously sparse prose...

Hmmm... I'm a *bit* non-plussed about this book. It's not anything like I expected. *Definitely* 'saw' the sparse language. The description I didn't mind so much, but the dialogue felt very deadpan and almost completely devoid of emotion. In some ways this works really well, as it comes accross as a literal account of what happened and what was said - there's no introspection on the part of the protagonist (Henry?? His name is mentioned I think once in the whole book - which again fits well with the style) and there's no 'explanation' added to help the reader.

The low key style also serves to increase the impact of when something does happen - like when Henry is injured. It was a complete surprise. In this way I can appreciate that this is really is a good account of what war is probably like - people are just getting on as normal and then *something* happens. There are no heroics or dramatic moments, just people trying to get on with things (in an organisation that appears to be one giant mess). It was not apparent to me why the protagonist (Henry??) falls in love with Miss Barkley, other than the fact that she is *there* and available (and perhaps this is the point?). Ditto Miss Barkley falling for Henry. Perhaps fittingly, the ending is depressing and unresolved.

(PS: While I can admire (I think!!) what Hemingway has done here, I still prefer cummings' account in 'The Enormous Room'. I would like to read more Hemingway, though, to try and get a better handle on his style.)