Captain Corelli's Mandolin. Louis de Bernières, 1995.

There exist a handful of novels that I would describe as brilliant. Among these are Dostoyevsky's Brothers Karamazov, Don Delillo's White Noise, Arthur Koestler's Darkness at Noon, Leonard Cohen's Beautiful Losers, and François Rabelais' Gargantua and Pantagruel. I would add Louis de Bernières' Captain Corelli's Mandolin to this list. (Let's forget about the film, which I have not seen and do not intend to see. I gather it ruins this book in a rather spectacular fashion).

Captain Corelli's Mandolin is the kind of book that hooks you on the first page and will not let you go. I could not put it down, could not break myself away from de Bernières' prose and the compelling story. 533 pages have never passed so quickly. Perhaps it appeals to me as a former student of history. But, this is far more than an historical account of a small portion of World War II. It's a grand story about a handful of well-drawn characters living through the good and the bad.

We are treated to a first-hand and very personal account of the failed Italian invasion of Greece in 1940, and the subsequent rescue by German forces of the useless Italian army. The author has drawn both enemies and friends in a very human way, even the occupying Italian soldiers and the brutal Nazis. He crafts a wonderful sub-plot about a gay Italian soldier (which I gather was left out of the film). One of my favourite moments is an oblique reference to Leonard Cohen, which might pass many readers by. Of course, there is a love story, a rather unconventional one, and the kind that does not generally appeal to Hollywood.

I will say one thing about the film, even though I have not seen it. The casting of Nicholas Cage as Captain Corelli is an abomination. Penélope Cruz as Pelagia, I can live with.

This novel is nothing short of gripping; it's often funny and ultimately very life-affirming (in truth, I am not really sure if this book is life-affirming, but I have always wanted to use that term, and now I have). Go read it and enjoy it.