Setting Free the Bears

Rating:
Summary: The rest of you are lying; you couldn't finish it.
Review: There's no John Irving novel I don't love, except this one. Most of them, I have re-read about five times. Even "The Water-Method Man", one of his weaker novels, I read twice.

I couldn't finish this one, not in THREE separate attempts, at three very different times in my life, three different frames of mind. There's nothing wrong with my reading skills. I'm forced to conclude the rest of you are lying.

Siggy and Hannes are simply not characters one can care about, and the actual writing is wretched.

Rating:
Summary: An impressive first novel.
Review: This book has a great deal of mediocre writing, poor character development, and forced humor; however, it was a very enjoyable and stimulating read. I think that this paradox is part of the enjoyment, in that a book that begins so poorly could grow on you to the point that you don't want to put it down. All the later themes and symbols of Irving's more mature work are here: bears, motorcycles, conspirators, Vienna, the sudden unexpected catastrophe, and the story within a story.

The novel is divided into three parts and is concerned with Siggy's plan to free the animals of the Vienna zoo. While this story line is central to the book, it is the flashback, or the Notebook section, that is the strongest part of the novel. The notebook section is in many ways a precursor of "The Pension Grillparzer" of Garp and deals with the Anschluss era of Austrian history and Yugoslav civil strife during World War II. This section is written with the same humor, compassion and clarity that are to be found in his later works. Freedom in all its manifestations (and its inherent disadvantages) is the apparent theme of the novel and this theme is dramatized with the freeing of the animals of the zoo. This idealistic, but irrational, act proves that one man's (creature's) bars are another's security.

Perhaps giving this book four stars is a little generous, but after I had finished the book I was surprised by how much I was moved by the novel and amazed at the young Irving's ability to manipulate his complex material into a coherent satisfying whole.

Rating:
Summary: Thoroughly satisfying
Review: This work, my introduction to the brilliant John Irving, was exquisite. I was drawn into the protagonist's world, and then into another world, via a diary, that the protagonist was pulled into. These worlds had such texture, rich characters, and fascinating plot developments, that I feared reaching the end of the novel.

To my utmost satisfaction however, the work culminated in a thrilling and deeply gratifying series of events, and i left this novel at peace with myself and the world.

Rating:
Summary: one heck of a wild ride
Review: While not the most important or most well written novel of all time, "Setting Free the Bears" is one heck of a wild ride.

I am blown away that this book is a "first novel." It is a clear sign of Irving's greatness as an author that he could write something this complex and entertaining his first time out. It seems that among those who have read at least two of Irving's novels, there is usually one that they pick and passionately cling to as their favorite. Most then judge the rest of Irving books as falling short of the glory of their favorite. How unfortunate.

"Setting Free the Bears," when taken by itself, is more than worth reading. However, far too many people seem predisposed to shoot it down without finishing reading it...usually because it's supposedly "not as good as" (insert favorite Irving novel here). People may well be extra harsh on "Setting Free the Bears" because Irving's style is not yet fully formed here (it is something along the lines of Irving plus Jack Kerouac with a dash of Tom Robbins thrown in to boot).

All this notwithstanding, I am glad to have read this book; to have encountered characters such as Siggy, Graff, Gallen and the rest of this unique cast. The literary device of splitting up the book with Siggy's notebook is pure genius.

One of the reasons I enjoy Irving so much is his great sense of humor. There is plenty of it here (though much of it is of a darker kind than later Irving). In particular, I laughed out loud upon reading the scene where Siggy gets his "shave".

All in all, I give "Setting Free the Bears" a most hearty recommendation. Though it is not perfect by any means (I only know of one such book), it has great moments of beauty and humor. Well worth reading.