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eiridium's review against another edition
4.0
Sabrina Murray’s Valiant Gentleman strikes one as a means to get in on the interest surrounding the centenary of the Rising in 2016 and to cater to the appetite of the Irish diaspora for material featuring the Irish martyrs of that time. That being said it cannot be faulted for this. There remains a wealth of material yet to be assayed over from a temporal distance that deserves examination and can certainly make for fine recounting. Getting to the heart of the experience, potential motivations behind the dramatic events of this time does deserved tribute to the remarkable characters that have grown to mythological dimensions. Arguably, few are more remarkable than Roger Casement. Coming on the heels of the Dream of the Celt, another historical fictional account, expectations are high and unfortunately unrealised by this volume – and in this, it must be faulted.
** spoiler alert ** The third part of this book saves it in my estimation (that section to my mind is worth 4 stars – the book in its entirety – 2/2.5 stars). Suddenly the narrative and the characters spring to life in the last 20%. Prior to this, the prose is laboured, seemingly lacking a perceptible focus, direction or really compelling engagement with the reader. The characters floated through life (despite trying circumstances) and I felt little if any connection with anyone. From my perspective, the first two of three parts are almost superfluous to the novel. They provide historical background that most probably would be familiar with anyway (nothing new is introduced and what is used is hugely superficial in scope) – and endless meandering nothingness. It was almost maddening to sleepwalk through the tale, a novel that seemed to dance around what might have been told or characters that may have been established. But…as said, in the third part of the novel everything comes to light and one suddenly begins to feel some empathy. The lines become drawn, the behaviours become suddenly more reflective of the values of the identifiable characters. Historical facts are largely left for the reader to explore on their own (not always a bad thing) but the lack of historicism here should have been supplanted by some quality of getting into the actual minds of the characters being presented.
Bottom line, Casement sleepwalks into martyrdom, Ward never really finds himself (an artist who does what is expected and marries and becomes father of some sort to family) and Sarita (all knowing but a survivor to the bone and largely a product of seeming system that had bred her to seek to not find a true calling save that of mother).
I would have been happier to have found a novella consisting of part three (with slight embellishment to bring me up to date) and then captured the essence.
** spoiler alert ** The third part of this book saves it in my estimation (that section to my mind is worth 4 stars – the book in its entirety – 2/2.5 stars). Suddenly the narrative and the characters spring to life in the last 20%. Prior to this, the prose is laboured, seemingly lacking a perceptible focus, direction or really compelling engagement with the reader. The characters floated through life (despite trying circumstances) and I felt little if any connection with anyone. From my perspective, the first two of three parts are almost superfluous to the novel. They provide historical background that most probably would be familiar with anyway (nothing new is introduced and what is used is hugely superficial in scope) – and endless meandering nothingness. It was almost maddening to sleepwalk through the tale, a novel that seemed to dance around what might have been told or characters that may have been established. But…as said, in the third part of the novel everything comes to light and one suddenly begins to feel some empathy. The lines become drawn, the behaviours become suddenly more reflective of the values of the identifiable characters. Historical facts are largely left for the reader to explore on their own (not always a bad thing) but the lack of historicism here should have been supplanted by some quality of getting into the actual minds of the characters being presented.
Bottom line, Casement sleepwalks into martyrdom, Ward never really finds himself (an artist who does what is expected and marries and becomes father of some sort to family) and Sarita (all knowing but a survivor to the bone and largely a product of seeming system that had bred her to seek to not find a true calling save that of mother).
I would have been happier to have found a novella consisting of part three (with slight embellishment to bring me up to date) and then captured the essence.
cseibs's review against another edition
2.0
I found all three subjects fascinating but I feel they were all under utilized, especially Ward. He is presented merely as a prop and his professional achievements are largely ignored. Their shared time in Africa was focused on such detail that it set false expectations that the rest of the book would be as thorough, but unfortunately much of the remainder was a brief accounting with very little detail, despite the book's length. Perhaps it was too ambitious to try to capture the lives of three people simultaneously in one book.
hkihm's review against another edition
4.0
slow-going but ultimately rewarding book that gets into the personal of world politics.
befsb's review against another edition
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
rumaho76's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
The end of the British Empire and WWI meet in this book about Roger Casement and his friend Herbert Ward.
withonestone's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
notoriousesr's review against another edition
adventurous
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
shallihavemydwarf's review against another edition
4.0
I must admit, I had no idea while reading this that Casement, Ward, Sarita et al. were real historical figures. I had pictured them as fictional creations experiencing historical events, and I wonder if/how knowledge of their historical counterparts would have coloured my reading.
I loved this book. The characters all truly popped, and I loved them all for their complications and flaws, even Ward.
This reminded me a great deal of A Gentleman in Moscow in it historical setting and contemplative style.
I loved this book. The characters all truly popped, and I loved them all for their complications and flaws, even Ward.
This reminded me a great deal of A Gentleman in Moscow in it historical setting and contemplative style.
oisin175's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed this book, though I subtracted a star for this edition because it was clear that the editing was incomplete and I was disappointed in how superficial Casement's humanitarian work was covered. Initially I hoped the author would make up for this by putting more focus on his Irish work. Unfortunately this was not the case. However, the relationship between Casement and Ward, as well as the POV sections from Sarita created a very interesting an full narrative. Ideally this should be read either with or shortly after reading The Dream of the Celt. That book is slightly less exciting and engaging in the way this book is, however, it gives a very focused narrative concerning Casement's humanitarian work. It will certainly help the reader understand all the event going on in the background.