Captain Corelli's Mandolin is a novel of many aspects: It's both a history of one small, tragic part of World War II and a wonderful love story--no, make that three love stories. It contains both bleak and disturbing visuals of the horrors of combat and slaughter and humor that is sometimes laugh-out-loud funny and sweet and sometimes bitter and sarcastic. It's a celebration of music and its power to transcend national boundaries. It carries a strong anti-war message. As novels go, it's a real keeper.
Most of the action of the novel takes place on the Greek island of Cephallonia after it is occupied by both Italy and Germany after the Greek defeat. The Italian officer Captain Corelli brings his mandolin and his love of buffoonery into the lives of the islanders and into the heart of the Greek girl Pelagia. But their blossoming of love is no match for the politics and vicissitudes of war.
In the tradition of master storytellers, de Bernieres does not limit himself to just one love story, but includes a story of the love between Pelagia and her father, as well as a sensitive story of the love of the driver Carlo for the Italian captain. And the author does not paint his characters in black and white, as perfect, but as real and believable human beings who make mistakes.
This author reminds me of that grandest of storytellers, Charles Dickens, because of the novel's combinations of pathos and melodrama and broad humor and satire and social commentary and characters who come so alive that they become visual.
Oh, well done, Louis de Bernieres. I highly recommend this novel.
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