Cal Cal: A Novel a Novel

by Bernard MacLaverty

Book Overview

When it was first published, Bernard MacLaverty's masterpiece was hailed by Michael Gorra in the New York Times Book Review as "a marvel of technical perfection...a most moving novel whose emotional... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0393313328
• ISBN13: 9780393313321
• Release Date: April 1995
• Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
• Length: 160 Pages
• Weight: 0.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 5.3" x 7.9"

Customer Reviews

Simple but elegant.....

I've had this book on my shelves for almost fifteen years, if you can believe it, but never got around to reading it until this week. Now I can't figure out why it took me so long to open it."Cal" describes the "troubles" in Northern Ireland in a simple yet elegant manner, with a bare minimum of explicit violence and gore. Most of the violence is implied - the two exceptions being the story of how Marcella Morton became a widow, and what at first glance seems to be a rather pointless episode concerning a land mine and a cow. It seemed pointless, that is, until you read further and discovered exactly how the land mine came to be there.While the violence is at a minimum, the thoughts, feelings, and philosophies of each side are explored quite thoroughly for such a small book. And while I personally found both points of view quite repellent, I will say that I believed that the characters in this book had these beliefs, and that they were extremely passionate regarding them.The book is also an interesting psychological study, at least as far as Cal McCluskey (the main character) is concerned. With the help of Marcella, the woman he comes to love, it seems that he is growing up, and coming to realize that there's a lot more out in the world than just Catholics & Protestants fighting and killing each other - but his past will ultimately work against him and nullify all the good that Marcella has done for him - because he was the driver of the car containing the man that killed her husband.A touching, sad, and very important book.

THE BEST BOOK I EVER HAVE READ

THIS BOOK IS FULL OF SEX, CRIME, TENSION AND THE PROBLEMS OF NORTHERN IRELAND. I LIKE IT VERY MUCH BECAUSE THE WORLD IS FULL OF PEOPLE LIKE "CAL" AND IT'S WRITTEN SPECIALLY FOR YOUNG PEOPLE. YOU MUST LIKE IT - IF NOT, THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH YOU! BEATRICE A STUDENT (21) FROM AARAU<P (...)

Unexpectedly haunting.

This book sat on my bookshelf for 10 years before I finally read it--I'd picked it up in a book sale way back and thought it looked interesting. Don't know why I waited so long to read it, but now that I have, I can't shake it. Its story is deceptively simple, but somehow its images haunt the mind long after reading. I guess it's the timelessness of it themes--violence (unfortunately) and love--because though the book was published in 1983 and the story itself, from hints in the book, I think is set about ten years before that, it obviously still resonates with readers in 1999. I wanted the story to go on, to find out if Cal survived his redemption.

Political violence mixed with an amazing love story

A great love story of a boy who is captured by his past actions. Cal took part in terrorist actions of the IRA, helped to murder a police officer. Since, he is unable to live an ordered life as well as getting out of the terror. By falling in love with the widow of the man he helped to murder he tries to get out of his violent environment but all his effort is not enough. His love makes him wanting to apologize but the only way he can do this is by scarifying himself for justice and the hope of peace.Cal was one of the best books I've ever read. Its realistic style and the sense for youth and the political problems of Northern Ireland make this book leave a picture in your mind that seems alive.

Brilliant

Mixes Love,Politics,Religion,Reality,Sex and Violence to make an extremely good book.Best book i've ever read.I would say anyone 13\14 to 50+ would like this book