This version of the book has been reviewed in English(312) by readers.
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What are readers saying about The English Patient?
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A reader posted a review at .
(Language: English)
  
Poetic and beautifully written, but I didn't like the ending. Currently having a debate with the hubby as to why it was done that way. Needless to say, I disagree with him.
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David posted a review at .
(Language: English)
Ondaatje is just a great writer. Totally different storyline than the movie.
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Lola posted a review at .
(Language: English)
I disliked the movie intensely enough to stop me from reading this book. I only picked it up because I'm on a quest to read all the Booker Prize winners, and I'm really glad that I did. It's a delicious read, with gorgeous prose, and everything set in the desert is fascinating, as is the convergence of cultures in the Italian villa, but there is a little too much convenience in the coincidences of the plot/set up, which continues to itch while reading, and one character, Caravaggio, seems entirely unnecessary. There is also the problem of the moral slipperiness of the novel; Almasy is a Nazi collaborator, even if it's for romantic reasons, and the argument that he's a man without borders (as are many of the desert explorers) seems facile. As an argument against imperialism, the book is more successful, but the English being worse than the Germans makes NO sense, as WW2 was all about Germany acting as an imperial force and setting the world on fire. I guess there was a parallel being made about England ravaging the rest of the world, and the West all being complicit, and it coming back on them when Germany was invading, but if that is the point, I'd like to see a deeper take on it - it seems mighty shallow in light of the threads of the novel and the lovely prose. Having said all that, I wish the novel was longer; I was thoroughly enthralled.
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Admiral Lia posted a review at .
(Language: English)
If you like sweeping sagas, a doomed love, and exotic locations, this is your book.
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Harish Ragunathan posted a review at .
(Language: English)
This will remain one of my top 10 favorite books for ever...gripping narration style and a dreamy layer spread throughout the novel, leaving the reader to imagine himself the identity of the English Patient..an excellent portrayal of contrasting characters..
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A reader posted a review at .
(Language: English)
Amazing read.
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Cynthia posted a review at .
(Language: English)
Every good thing you've ever heard about this book is true. Don't let the length or intense storyline stop you from picking this book up and devouring it. Definitely a classic for all time.
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A reader posted a review at .
(Language: English)
A braided novel that refuses to be ignored. So well woven!
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vïbhä sïnÄ¡h posted a review at .
(Language: English)
The English Patient is a work of historical fiction set in the hills of Tuscany, Italy during the Second World War. There are multicultural displays of characters that are resident in this villa; Hana: A central character in the novel she is a young Canadian nurse serving the allies, started nursing when she was 18. She realises he cannot become emotionally attached to her patients as she has seen so many young soldiers die in the war. She has lost everyone close to her, her father the only parent who raised her left Canada to join the war effort and died subsequently. The English patient - Almasy; A Bulgarian mapper of the desert. To Hana and the others in the villa he is featureless, after falling from a burning plane in the desert his body is burnt raw. Hana falls in love with the idea of the English patient, the thought of caring for a saint-like man. ‘Hip bones of Christ, her despairing saint.’(3) He is knowledgeable and reflective; although his body is in ruins his mind is able. He is the blank screen upon which the other characters reflect their thoughts and wishes. He strongly believes that nations are dangerous inventions. Love can transcend both time and geography. Caravaggio; A Canadian thief, whose profession is legitimised during the war, using his skills for the British. He serves as a kind of surrogate father to Hana (61). There is an important link – themic resonance’s- art versus artifice, truth versus counterfeit- Caravaggio ‘sheds light’ on the identity of the English Patient. Kip; First introduced as only a ‘Sikh’, he is an Indian man working as a ‘’sapper’’ defusing bombs for the British .His name is an oblique reference to British colonial author Rudyard Kipling – Kim. He is a dark man in a white nation, emotionally detached and aware people’s reactions wont always be positive. All of these characters you will find have their own story, within the main storyline. This novel is transcultural, nationalities’ merging together. The desert setting provides a shifting landscape that cannot be claimed or owned. Ownership is a key theme throughout this novel as is identity. Nationality and identity are interconnected in the novel they function to connect the characters to certain places and times despite their best efforts to escape. The desert setting has tremendous power not only to erase identity, but also to transcend time. It is a very deep and a novel you can pick out ambiguous meanings for every sentence. It is all interlocked with many running themes. Nations, states, identity, ownership, love, time, geography and history. Herodotus is a strong influence in this writing and almost a bible for Almasy. There are many references to his writings. I would say you would have to read this novel at least twice to not miss out on all the meanings and links. It is not the easiest read for me.
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Vidya Sundaram posted a review at .
(Language: English)
i read the book & almost towards the completion, i came across the movie and saw it...there are no words suffice to describe how the powerful words of Ondatjee has been beautifully portrayed in the movie.....
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