Plot/Storyline: 5 Stars
The entire novel was told from the viewpoint of "Earwig," who is a little mentally handicapped due to a high fever as a baby. In a "Gump-like" way, Earwig was both "slow," yet insightful.
Earwig makes many profound statements throughout the novel about war, sex, and life in general. These insights really made the novel memorable in many ways. I especially enjoyed his outlook on war and his confusion over the "Japs" being `real people.'
I also enjoyed the realism of the novel. Unlike "Forrest Gump," Earwig's life is a pretty realistic one for a mentally handicapped person of the time period. The only unrealistic portion I found was the treatment he received by some of the townspeople. They were just a little too understanding after a specific event in which Earwick seriously hurt someone, even though it was unintentional. I think in real life, there would have been more fear associated with him after such an event. However, no one really seems to treat him much differently, even allowing him to play alone with a young child.
There was plenty of laugh-out-loud humor within this book. After his brother and friends returned home, the novel took a darker turn for awhile. There were more gritty and serious scenes. However, they fit well within the story, and humor was still present in many of the scenes thanks to Earwig's viewpoint.
Character Development: 5 Stars
Earwig was a wonderfully developed character. He grew up within the story, but still maintained his child-like innocence. He made me laugh and cry in turns with his wonderful personality.
Jimmy was also well developed during his scenes. His personality appeared to change drastically after his stint in the war, but really his general goodness remained. This was especially apparant when seen through the eyes of Earwig.
Writing Style: 5 Stars
The superb writing style is what keeps me coming back for more of Ms. Kring's novels. She exceeded my expectations with this novel. The sentence structuring was excellent, as usual. However, it was her wonderful descriptions in Earwig's voice that really made this novel a stand-out. The novel is filled with terrific metaphors.
The dialogue was also wonderful. I loved the way Earwig 'said' things, but then said that he said them out loud without the cuss words. He even seemed to hear things differently, but then stated tha t the person had said them a different way.
Rating: PG-14 for Adult Language (lots of it)
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Carry Me Home
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Book Description
From Publishers Weekly:Earnestly narrated by brain-damaged 16-year-old Earl "Earwig" Gunderman ("Ma said that after the fever was gone, my brain was like meat cooked too long, and it just fell apart whenever I tried to learn something new"), Kring's heartfelt debut explores the effects of WWII on a smalltown Wisconsin family. Earwig, whose intellectual difficulties are balanced by his sharp emotional intelligence, gets a significant assist in the growing-up process from his older brother, Jimmy. But after enlisting in the National Guard on a drunken whim, Jimmy is shipped out with one of the first ill-equipped units to be sent to the Philippines. When his unit is overrun in Bataan, his fate is assumed to be grim. At home, Earwig sighs about rationing, discovers a dark family secret and hopes for Jimmy's safe return. And Jimmy does come home, but, shell-shocked after years as a POW, he drowns his sorrows in drink. It takes Earwig's devotion and a tender new relationship with young widow Eva Leigh to turn him around. Kring's narrative is familiar at first, but hits its stride after Jimmy's homecoming, capturing family tensions and the divisive town dynamics when Jimmy and his fellow soldiers criticize the government for abandoning them in Bataan. Strong characters, a clear community portrait and a memorable protagonist whose poignant fumblings cloak an innocent wisdom demonstrate Kring's promise.Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
