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Rating: 
Summary: A book of lyrical fiction
Review: A love story set in an Ireland full of signs and wonders, the book tells the tales of Nicholas and Isabel, seemingly separate tragic stories of love and love lost that illustrate the randomness of life's trials and tribulations. But is life really random? Their intersection, seemingly random, begs the question: Is anything random, or is every step measured, does every action count? Quite engrossing and compelling, I would have given it 5 stars but the ending, after so skillful and deft a buildup, is pathetic. Well worth reading anyway!
Rating: 
Summary: A cozy, true hearted read....
Review: I loved this book. I have read it 2 times so far. If you like heart warming stories, Niall Williams really presents a touching story here. It is a curious read all the way to the end, and even then the author leaves you a bit to imagine.
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Summary: great imagery
Review: I read this book close to two years ago, and I still feel that it has some of the best imagery that ive come across you can picture everything clearly- and the writing is so fluid and beautiful, theres nothing to jarr you. The only reason i didnt give it 5 stars is because it was an assignment to read this book. A wonderful travel book. Good for relaxation.
Rating:
Summary: Beautifully Written
Review: Niall Williams has a gift. He can describe eternity from the Irish point of view. Four Letters of Love is an eminently Irish story. It assumes a Catholic or Christian perspective of man as destined for eternity and guided by Providence even though it succumbs to fatalism. Mr. Williams aptly takes one through the journey of two similar souls that begin very much apart but converge towards each other in subtle, Providential ways. What distinguishes this book from many a story of two souls is the author's rare ability to describe life through "kairos" -- that Greek word for time signifying the convergece of time and place that resembles eternity -- rather than by "chronos" (or chronological events). And that, by itself, makes Four Letters of Love a truly poetic and human story. A story of love, true Irish love. By the end on the book one feels as Irish as the characters themselves, tossed by the tides of the sea much like the Irish coasts that play such an important role in the book. Mr. Williams' grammar is a joy to read and this book should be a must in the collection of ambitious writers and those seeking to understand the Irish a bit more. I recommend it for its rare purity and for its magnificent use of the English language.
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Summary: Spellbinding, Lucid, Picturesque, Permeating!
Review: Oh, how did I not find this book until now?
I'll give the very FEW downfalls, first.
It felt rushed towards the end, and I feel some of the most key events should undoubtedly been elaborated.
Next, WHY?? (is this not a movie YET??)
Incredibly moving, life changing.
The characters are so very well fleshed out, the smells, sounds, sights... were all so very REAL, I not only could see, smell, hear it all happening, most often it felt even deeper than that!
I felt like I knew the characters more than myself.
A perfect blend of tragedy, transendence, wonder, mystical beauty, a bit of wit, and life changing philosophical prose.
DO NOT~ pass this book up.
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Summary: Extraordinary Insight
Review: One may judge the characters and the events of the separate sub-plots and how they come together in this book any number of ways. I enjoyed the creativity and the spiritual implications. But what I found extraordinary about "The Four Letters of Love" was the insight Williams has into human beings - the emotions and the sensations in particular, but also the choices we make in living every day, as a result of hundreds of moments (split second events) that occur all the time, which test and shape our character. For reasons we rarely understand, these moments open and close doors which have huge consequences on our lives. I found myself going back and re-reading certain sections, either to enjoy them again, or to make sure I understood. The "quality per square inch" (I just made that ratio up) is about as high in this work as any I've ever had the pleasure to read. Anyway, I thought the book very well written, each page a justification in its own right. My thanks to the author.
Rating:
Summary: A Glorious and Poetic Novel of Fated Love
Review: Steeped in local Irish lore this brillianted crafted and flawlessly rendered novel is a deep meditation on the mystical nature of love and destiny. The dreamlike plot is leisurely paced, unfolding one small piece at a time as seemingly random acts and incidents build and accrue and lead to the the eventual meeting of lovers Isabel and Nicholas. FOUR LETTERS OF LOVE makes magical sense of how every moment is woven into a larger whole and that the inability to understand fate is nothing more than an inability to gain the proper perspective. There is a deep logic in this universe and everything is as it should be. There is so much in this multi-layered book. Engrossing, provocative, haunting, lyrical, wise ... and to top it off it culminates with a great payoff and a very satisfying conclusion.
Rating:
Summary: The very very best
Review: The most beautiful love story ever written. Williams provides everything a good story needs: suspense, a few miracles, wonder, some life philosophy... Packaged as a love story, which few know how to write without getting sobby, Niall William's book has been one of my most enjoyable reads of recent time. Awesome!!
Rating: 
Summary: Adult Fairy Tale
Review: This book is really more of an adult fairy tale; very dreamlike in its narration. It does, however, have beautiful prose and lyrics and is so well written by, I believe, a first-time author. It relates the bizarre relationship between a father and son, the strange behaviour of a young gifted girl and a painting that binds the characters together. At the beginning, the book was engrossing, it soon petered out towards an unsatisfactory conclusion. The book is extremely well written, but I'm not fond of one-dimensional characters and surreal storylines.
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Summary: Lover of Language
Review: What makes "Four Letters of Love" so outstanding is Niall Williams' love affair with the English language and the art of communication. His descriptions are not long or labored but carefully crafted and succinct and pierce directly to the heart of the matter like those of a very skillful songwriter. They are not used merely to impress or create a flowery prose; instead, they transcend the ordinary to the level of extraordinary and enhance character and the themes of fate, love's destructive and healing powers, and man's futile struggle to comprehend and control both fate and love. Williams' storytelling engulfs the reader and pulls him in to the tumultuous sea of love, much like the strong undertow of the North Atlantic does to the inhabitants of this little Irish island. You care about these characters, what they do, and how they are affected by the hand of God. If you love language, read this book!
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