Lets just say that I never have really ever lived down the choosing of this book that as a group we all disliked very VERY much. In the early years of our book club we had read (under my suggestion) The Fourth Hand by him. He has a knack for creating quirky characters and then writing stories around them. John Irving and I have had a rocky relationship. For me, reading this book as the fictional story it is, made it enjoyable, and in the end, although not always the easiest book to follow (flash back and forwards tend to mess me up), I am thankful I had the opportunity to read it. Owen then takes on this role as instrument of God which at times is funny, but admittedly – at times, a bit disturbing as well. In the early pages you are hit with the shocking plot starter that really kicks off the story.
The book left me feeling much of the same emotions.
I enjoyed the movie, finding it funny, and sad, and a mixture in between. I had seen the movie Simon Birch long before I knew of a book called A Prayer For Owen Meany. I checked the book out again this year, now not only for Banned Book Week, but I had also chosen it as the Wordshaker fall opener read to force my hand. There are books out there that continue to call to me, for whatever reason they stay on my radar as “must reads” and this book was one of them. AND in typical Sheila style… I had more books than I could read. AND in typical Sheila style, I ran to my library and checked this out along with several other banned books. Last year this book was recommended to me for banned book week. The book goes on to play on this “instrument of God” piece (even to the point that Owen predicts his date of death) throughout the childhood of both boys – and into adulthood as well as Johnny continues the story.Ī little history. When a tragic accident happens at a baseball game involving Owen… Owen feels this was foreseen by God, therefore – Owen is an instrument of God. But – Owen is wise beyond his years and knows more about life at the age of ten than most people do well into their later adult years. he also has damage to his larynx which leaves his voice very squeaky and needless to say, the blunt of many jokes.
Owen was small for his age – freakishly small due to a mysterious growth disorder. Johnny was rather scrawny and wimpy so it was only natural for him to find a friend in Owen Meany. Johnny never knew who his dad was, and his mother seemed to like it that way and went about with her tranquil and modest nature the rest of her days. Johnny Wheelwright lives in New Hampshire with his mom who “chose to have me and to never explain a word about me or to her mother or to her sister”.
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