Reviews

Focusing on Billy Prior, whom readers will have met in the first novel in this series, 'The Eye in the Door' has a very different feel to it than 'Regeneration'. Many characters from that first novel return, including psychiatrist William Rivers but the overall tone is darker than previously. Prior continues to be a difficult character to like, with his lack of apparent morals and disregard for those around him. He is a difficult character to like and I found myself tossing between routing for his survival and happiness, and struggling to find any redeeming qualities. If you enjoyed 'Regeneration' then definitely read this.

mazza57's review against another edition

Go to review page

2.0

I really enjoyed the firs in this series but had real difficulties with this second helping. I found the writing so difficult to understand, I suppose the author is showing the fractured nature of these men's lives but it impaired my ability to keep with the narrative. I didn't see the need or place for all the gay sex and feel that this is an area that is over zealously added to books today. I have the third in the series on my TBR i really hop it isn't written in the same style

the_lilrunaway's review against another edition

Go to review page

4.0

I was looking forward to a book about Billy Prior. While I enjoyed reading this and found it fascinating, I was very slow moving through it. I got stuck in the explanations of medical treatments. I do want to read the third one but I think maybe I will wait a while.

emilybh's review against another edition

Go to review page

5.0

It's difficult to convey how engaging and satisfying Barker's writing is: returning to a well-crafted character, Rivers, and keeping him at the centre of a shifting novelistic space allows Barker to explore the chaos around and within him.
Amongst strips of very human dialogue, humour flashes through in a surprising manner, mingling with dark images and underpinned by an anti-war commentary.
This is a war novel which goes back to society: the war asked men to be something they were not, and this novel shows how a process of reversal unravelled. A society held in war revealed what it truly was, whilst its men donned the masks of soldiers and left what they were.

lgiegerich's review against another edition

Go to review page

5.0

I think this is my favorite of the trilogy. Empire Strikes Back syndrome, I guess.

bigtomlaff's review against another edition

Go to review page

reflective medium-paced

4.0

susie_pym's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark emotional sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

More...