レビュー

• Brilliant and Devastating

  Never have I been so moved by a novel. It feels fresh and current. That is what terrifies me. Rawi Hage writes a prose that cuts to the bone. Hopefully, most of us will never have to experience war. But through Hage's words, we experience it--the pain, the horror, the disillusionment, the destruction of any sense of morality or purpose. The marvelous works of Khaled Hosseini come to mind. Both writers describe bleak worlds of war, a clash of civilizations that tears families apart, tears asunder one's own sense of self. Both writers are poets, painting war-torn landscapes with powerful images. But whereas Hosseini finds kindness and a secret light in his characters, Hage shows the corrosive nature of war. Our hero does not find himself, he survives. Barely. He does not act heroically or morally. He reacts like an injured wolverine, backed into a corner, snapping at everyone and everything. We sense he's looking for redemption, but he never finds it. No doubt the bleakness of Hage's world view is why he is not as famous as Hosseini. But, gentle reader, it feels far more genuine.

• Very real book back then...

  The book is very simple in style, it's for sure inspired from the day to day life of every Lebanese and especially the ones living in Beirut. It tells a lot of facts in a humoristic tragic way that some people weren't aware that it was happening in their neighborhood. I would love to read another one describing the same daily routine on the other side during the same period (west beirut back then).

• A gripping novel from right inside a civil war

  Few novels have left such a lasting impact as this one. One is not likely to feel like reading a novel about the Lebanese civil war written by a participant in the madness (especially as the title of the book is somewhat offputting I think), but such is the extraordinary power of the prose, and the intensity of the images, this one grips and keeps you reading in wonder. There are few books which so successfully communicate the sheer idiocy of civil war, or the power it holds over those caught up in it. Leaves you drained and exhausted, but aware you have read a great book.

• Heartbreaking...

  War is evil...and evil people fan wars for their own benifit..driven by greed... lust for power... What is the purpose of a religion if it drives you away from humanity?... Why does God allow self serving greedy power hungry men to manipulate the gullible in his name?? Anyone who knows the answer to these questions can either start a war or end one.. De Niros Game is a story of two childhood friends in a war-torn Lebanon...one grows up with a desperate desire to escape his homeland..and the other with a misguided notions on how to serve his nation. It's heartbreaking to know...that such violence and abuse can be written about so casually..in a tone stating a matter of fact..devoid of emotion...full of apathy... The name of the book is refers to the Robert de Niro's movie The Deer Hunter and the "game" refers to Russian roulette ... It just about describes the everyday gamble that the people living in the war zones take with their lives every minute of the day.. This book is not for everyone...it's gory...there were a places where I closed my eyes and simply looked away not wanting to read any further.. Its a 3.5/5 for me...the book is good but not my cup of tea... although it somehow feels like reading a translated book, the author does drive his point home.. you don't like the characters...u pity them ..feel sorry for them...but you cannot like them...they are too raw..crass..just like the circumstances they face.

• De Niro's Game: An Incredible Story

  De Niro's Game is the story of two best friends struggling to navigate through the chaos and tragedy of Lebanon's civil war. They experience love, loss, betrayal and hopelessness as they recklessly strive for something... anything... better. It's a dark story that's beautifully written and will have you at the edge of your seat the whole read through. What makes it even more fascinating is that its main characters are Lebanese Christians - offering a rare glimpse into what it was like living in East Beirut at the height of the city's strife. Those knowledgeable about Lebanon's social and political history will find De Niro's game especially interesting.

購入リンク