Setting Free the Bears

by John Irving

Paperback, 1979

Status

Available

Call number

813.54

Genres

General Fiction

All Topics

Fiction

Publication

Corgi (1979), Paperback

Description

It is 1967 and two Viennese university students want to liberate the Vienna Zoo, as was done after World War II. But their good intentions have both comic and gruesome consequences, in this first novel written by a twenty-five year old John Irving, already a master storyteller. "From the Paperback edition."

User reviews

LibraryThing member Steve38

It's not often you put down a book having got to the last page and think to yourself, 'Why did I bother'. An awful book. Written in a comic book, faux naive style it has a plot that goes nowhere until the last few pages. It has characters who are cardboard cut outs. It has an irritating written

style. It has nothing to recommend it.

Show Less

6 more

LibraryThing member rcooper3589

well, first off: i love john irving, so i started reading this book already loving it. it took me a little longer to get into this book than his others, but it was still a good one. being his first book, you can tell he's being cautious and holding back. there were many moments where i expected

more from the situation and while there were hints of his normal themes (lack of father, lust, etc.)they weren't as strong as they normally are. i'm also unsure if i completely understood the book. i mean, i think i have an idea about what it was "about," but i just don't know... what's really weird is how many dreams i had that contained things from the book. i cant tell you how many dreams i've had over the last few weeks that took place in germany during or around ww two... then, to top it off i was watching the news the other day and the lead story had to do with an escaped black bear running around people's backyards... really, what are the chances? all in all, this was a good book, but not one of my favorite john irving books.

Show Less

LibraryThing member jorgearanda

Although Setting Free the Bears has some great moments of inspiration, their build-up is rather dull and weak. But the book poses good questions about youth, its energy, its foolhardiness and its contradictions, and its answers are quite problematic.

LibraryThing member tugglebug

I first read this book more than 25 years ago,so I decided to give it another read when I was clearing out my cupboard and found it buried at the bottom.This book has such a terrific youthful energy(I think it's Irving's first)and is like a time capsule ,firstly of the free spirited 60's and then

of the foreboding 30's and war years in Austria.Siggy and Graff's high spirited youthful adventures on their motorbike seem so innocent compared to the happenings of Siggy's parents before and during the war.I enjoyed this book more than I thought I would,it's freerolling and a great history lesson as well.

Show Less

LibraryThing member SimoneA

If you are a fan of John Irving's work, it may be worthwhile to read this book, his first novel. It contains some of the themes which will return a lot in his later books, but I actually like that they are a bit less prominent here. Because of this, Setting Free the Bears is not a typical Irving

book and therefore a nice diversion from his later books.

Show Less

LibraryThing member LynnB

I'm a huge John Irving fan, so I'm not sure how I missed this one until now. That said, it is my least favourite book by him. Don't get me wrong, it was good and shows the promise that I know Mr. Irving exceeded over time. I found it hard to identify with the characters and thought the pacing was a

little slow. But the writing about the bears was vintage Irving.

Show Less

LibraryThing member Longcluse

Beautifully observed with well-developed characters like all other Irving, but pages upon pages upon pages of talk about motorcycle parts. Plus, countless contrived dark slapstick situations I suspect John Irving thought were brilliant and hilarious built around intentional or unintentional animal

abuse/ death as a recurring theme. “The Water Method Man”, published 4 years after this, is my very favorite- if this were my first John Irving novel, it would have been my last. I would consider bringing it with me on camping trips to use the pages as kindling.

Show Less

Fewer