The Wars – Timothy Findley
The Wars – Timothy Findley – 1977
Reviewed by: Steven Katona Date: 9 February 2005
This is a must read for 2nd year university English Literature. So I encourage you all to check this book out. It’s about a part of Canadian history we know so little about. Findley breaks ground on description and narration. I’m wondering how much have we learned since? It’s gritty trench warfare in 1915. CBC (Canadian Broadcast Corporation) should make it into a movie!
The Wars represents a post-modern narrative which utilizes alienation to expose social problems while underlining the entire narrative with a 1st-world-war theme. Findley’s usage of the narrative to expose dysfunctional conduct helps with the reality factor which makes this book a nice read. I know it was made into a play but they left out the best parts, I’m sure! Findley talks about some gay gang raping in the French bath houses, so it’s an adult-theme book for sure. His main character is gay or kinda bi-curious which exposes another side of society which most people are never aware! Remaking heros from the 1st world war and a gay hero at that, is something of a masterpiece, especially when he utilizes the ‘uniqueness’, which the homosexual men in the army used to distinguish themselves. Blue scarfs and leather ‘kid’ gloves, all add to a realistic flair which you might not find in other novels, especially a historical one.
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