I'm Pearl-ruling Pearl. I don't care for the style, or the patronising, self-important authorial tone in the guise of an omniscient narrator who makes a point of deciding when to tell us what. Any desire I may have had to understand why a young American woman would chain herself to an embassy fence in Ireland, determined to die like Bobby Sands, to "bear witness" to something, has preceded her in death. (If she's actually going to die, which I doubt.) I think there's an excellent story in there somewhere, but Gish Jen, Maxine Hong Kingston and Margaret Drabble to the contrary notwithstanding, I have yet to see a glimpse of the compassion, suspense or lyrical intensity they're on about; Gordon's habit of speaking directly to the reader, as if we're likely to miss the point but she's going to make it clear, makes me twitch; and I just don't have the patience to stick with it. Perhaps it's because I was not brought up to believe that voluntary suffering is its own reward?

Gordon has tackled the major issue of life in this book: why choose life over death, what is worth dying for, what is the nature of relationships. The 3rd person, omniscient narrator makes it come off a bit preachy. But this is a thought provoking read. ( )

Many of some of the most acclaimed writers break every writing rule and god bless them because rules are just to get people started, a means of learning. So write ye merry unpublished and know that all those rules used to reject your manuscript will not matter once you reach the right audience, once you hit the right formula. For much can be forgiven if a book is good enough in the right places and Pearl was just good enough when Pearl was its actual focus. But Pearl was not focused on enough, sadly, for me to like this book very much. (A book can also be forgiven if the intelligentsia has decided that writer is a worthy writer no matter what but best not to get too bogged down in details like that.)

Read the rest of the review here: http://ireadeverything.com/?p=77 ( )

"Pearl" was not a happy book, it is full of struggles...modern day struggles of religon, beliefs, politics, sacrifice, martyrdom, and family bonds, particularly mother-daughter relationships...but I loved the 3rd person omniscent narative. I feel like the narrator was part of the story, perhaps the voice of god, or someone once involved in the story but had passed like Maria's father, Pearl's father, devorah, or the boy who pearl's death will "witness". For me personally, the story highlighted my own struggles with being a mother and acceptance of my own mother. I can relate to wanting "the best" for your child, but your idea of what's best might not actually be what is best for your child. And when you are the child in question, feeling like your parent does try not understand you...This books helps me to realize it is helpful to take a step back and accept your family members for who they are. And...I am once again embarrassed of my lack of awareness of the political unrest in Ireland during my own lifetime.I loved this book, it was a more difficult read but extremely worth the time. ( )

ridiculous, self-indulgent, full of platitudes ( )