The Things They Carried, by Tom O'Brien
The Things They Carried, by Tim O'Brien, is based on war, but is fiction. The book is based on different stories and perspectives of the narrator Tim. The book is not like any other war story, only because it is not non-fiction. The book begins with the soldiers and what life was at war as well as some of the things they carried. What is interesting is the book later talks about what happened after the war. The book helps people understand what soldiers have gone through and why soldiers do what they do after the war. When you read the book it makes you question if certain events are real or just made up. They say if you question it so much, it can be true. The story takes place in Vietnam ( Vietnam War). It simply talks about memories of what soldiers lived and how they died. It is a very emotional, heoroic and gruesome story.
The book was actually pretty great. I actually believed I was not going to enjoy it because I do not really enjoy books based on war. I have also read All Quiet on the Western Front. In compare to The Things they Carried I would say this book was way better because it was fictional but in a way sounded non-fictional. It definitely taught me something about war. I recommend this book to adults or anyone who likes a great war book. I can not stress how much you should read this book. The book was incredible.
Reviewed by Andrea V., Grade 11
Glendale Central Library
Comments
This is legitimately one of my favorite books ever. It's a unique piece of metafiction that almost had me at tears with how profound the ending was. Every chapter focuses on a different member of Alpha Company, and every chapter gives us a glimpse into the unique lives of each of these soldiers. By the end of it, the story becomes a profound commentary on guilt, loss, and the importance of storytelling. I would say the thesis of this book is that even fake things have a realness behind them.
reviewed by Nathan R., Grade 11
Glendale Central Library