Rating: 
Summary: early John Irving material confuses, bores...
Review: 'Setting Free the Bears' is an early work by John Irving that would have been normally out of print, and deservedly so, if it were not for his later fame from 'The World According to Garp'. In some ways the book is similar to 'The New Hotel Hampshire', a book I actually didn't care for, but lacks the humor or the huggable characters (or the curious incest sub-plot, thank goodness). So what exactly is wrong with 'Setting Free the Bears'?Well the plot itself is rather strange and somewhat incomprehensible. A young Austrian college student bumps into a very quirky fellow, and together the tour Austria on motorcycle. Just when you think the book will turn into a funny road story with an Austrian twist the author decides to split the story in two, with the a narrative of the main character camped out at a zoo and his strange friend narrating his (pre-war) family history. Very disappointing, and very dull. The ending concludes in comical fashion back at the zoo. But this fun ending is too little, too late. Bottom line: a very amateurish effort by the often outstanding John Irving. A definite miss.
Rating:
Summary: early John Irving material confuses, bores...
Review: 'Setting Free the Bears' is an early work by John Irving that would have been normally out of print, and deservedly so, if it were not for his later fame from 'The World According to Garp'. In some ways the book is similar to 'The New Hotel Hampshire', a book I actually didn't care for, but lacks the humor or the huggable characters (or the curious incest sub-plot, thank goodness). So what exactly is wrong with 'Setting Free the Bears'? Well the plot itself is rather strange and somewhat incomprehensible. A young Austrian college student bumps into a very quirky fellow, and together the tour Austria on motorcycle. Just when you think the book will turn into a funny road story with an Austrian twist the author decides to split the story in two, with the a narrative of the main character camped out at a zoo and his strange friend narrating his (pre-war) family history. Very disappointing, and very dull. The ending concludes in comical fashion back at the zoo. But this fun ending is too little, too late. Bottom line: a very amateurish effort by the often outstanding John Irving. A definite miss.
Rating:
Summary: Slightly disappointing
Review: After reading the wonderfully Irving's imaginative, captivating and sometimes zany books, The World According to Garp, A prayer for Owen Meany, The Cider House Rules, Hotel New Hampshire and Widow for One Year, Setting Free the Bears was a let down. The characters were extremely annoying and hard to stomach. After reading about Siggy for 150 pages I was ready to put the book down. I don't know much about motorcycles, and dodn't care to learn. I'll admit, maybe Setting Free the Bears just wasn't a book for me. Whatever you do, don't let reading this bland novel turn you off to John Irving's other novels. Most of them are supurb.
Rating:
Summary: Incomprehensible
Review: As a long time fan of John Irving's post Garp books, you can't imagine how disappointed I was in this incomprehensible mess. So many words wasted on such a slim idea.
Rating:
Summary: A Lackluster Disappointment
Review: As a _huge_ fan of John Irving, I expected Setting Free the Bears to be another great novel. Instead, I found it to be very disappointing. The character development was weak, the plot line boring, and the novel just did not appeal to me. I found it very difficult to finish this book. Granted, this was Irving's first work so I can't criticize him too much for this book. If you are interested in Irving, check out his other books -- Owen Meany, Garp, Cider House Rules, and some of his other ones too. He is an amazing author and Setting Free the Bears doesnt do him justice.
Rating: 
Summary: Most dissapointing !
Review: Being a big John Irving fan I was most dissapointed with this book.I found it tedious and BORING! Do read Garp and Cider House Rules.
Rating:
Summary: It is a debut of the GIANT
Review: Debut book by John Irving is disappointing only when you have previously read all others, like I did. The story is about Vienna (a recurring theme in all of his prose) and misery of the postwar aftermath with foreign occupants. The Viennese Zoo animals were released and eaten at the end of the war. Irving fantasizes about this event. I could not manage to finish the book, however. He is a talented novelist, but I should have switched the order of reading and start with "Bears". After all others, I am not able to recommend the book even to myself.
Rating: 
Summary: Great book!!
Review: Easily the best Irving book that I've ever read. This is an especially good read if you're not a huge Irving fan. Much more complex underneath, it does take an appreciation of fine art to understand the subtle nuances in this book, and if you're used to mainstream (boring) fiction, you may not like it. But if you like to see how unreal reality can sometimes be, this is truly a winner.
Rating: 
Summary: How I accomplished writing true novels!
Review: Growing up, I have been inspired of how writers come up with their own sense of thought and how they picture it in writing. I grew up trying to find something unique in everything i saw and one day went to a art museum with my mom and talked about a painting. The museum guard came up to me and said" little boy, you have a really good imagination...the painter tried to portray this in his painting"...after those words, I expanded in my thoughts and put my thoughts in writing to create my novels.
Rating: 
Summary: ragged and wonderful
Review: Having met John in Iowa City before Garp was published, BEARS was all I knew of his work. I just re-read it. Despite some lack of polish, it still moves me the most. Could be I love motobikes, could be I know Austria, but mostly it captures the ridiculous intensity and bittersweet nature of relationships at that age.
| 
