Congratulations to Maureen O’Connell, this months book review winner, who delivered excellent insight into the novel. She will be receiving a $30 gift card from Borders Books, Valencia. Read her review below:
Pete Hamill’s Forever is a haunting novel that would appeal to a wide audience: those of Irish heritage and those interested in Irish lore; history buffs; devotees of fantasy and the supernatural (with spiritual overtones); those who enjoy a tale of unrelenting vengeance (or, in terms of the hero’s background and experience, the diligent pursuit of justice and the meting out of that justice, even unto the end of the villain’s line); those who just enjoy a well-told, thought-provoking tale in which to escape for a little while. The concept of living forever on the temporal plane has long fascinated the human race. Add to that the enviable attribute of remaining forever young and vital. This is the foundation of Forever.
The historical panorama of Ireland and New York was especially interesting and exciting. Hamill has managed to create a vivid picture of the changing physical environment and the emotional atmosphere of his locales without resorting to long, rambling passages. He has a gift for succinct description that allows the reader to create strong visual impressions in the imagination and to slip in and out of the action easily. It is like a mini-series of the mind.
The experiences of the engaging Cormac O’Connor, starting out in an unforgiving time and place in history and continuing to the present, constitute an exciting journey for the reader. Add to that the wide display of humanity with whom he comes into contact and events great and small which mold him and form his character as we follow him through 300 years of a changing civilization punctuated with unrest and war. To survive, he hones his skills at blending into his background while excelling at many skills: blacksmith, typesetter, volunteer soldier, journalist, artist, pianist, laborer, linguist, writer of dime-store novels, photographer and so on. He is truly an Everyman of every age throughout the ages. What distinguishes him is what lies in his heart, at the core of his being. He is the conflicted avenger torn between an ancient vow and painfully acquired wisdom. He is the passionate seeker of the Dark Lady who will bring him his final comfort and an entrance to the Otherworld filled with emerald light and peopled by the beloved spirits of his past.
This is a great recreational read. The novel is not flawless, but it is certainly an enjoyable and instructive journey with an interesting and unforeseen twist at the end. Bravo, Mr. Hamill.