This 2013 rewrite of The Book of Sorrows is...interesting. On one hand, it helps to create a somewhat stronger sense of continuity between Lamentations and The Book of the Dun Cow. In Sorrows, certain memorable side characters that made a strong impression in the first book didn't make any appearances whatsoever. It was as if in the decade-long gap between Dun Cow and Sorrows, Wangerin completely forgot about those characters and didn't bother to skim through the first book before writing the sequel. Lamentations remedies this by including these characters in the main plot, and not just shoehorning them in where he can, but actually integrating them into the story.There are also some interesting implications of a literal connection between this realm of talking animals and the Garden of Eden.On the other hand, because this book has been so heavily streamlined (one could even say abridged) from the original, many of the elements that made Sorrows such a powerful and devastating book are missing, making this rewrite seem a bit shallow by comparison. Many of the dramatic scenes from Sorrows are shortened down to only a few pages or a few paragraphs, and in some cases are changed entirely. Chauntecleer's motives for confronting Wyrm seemed much more complex in Sorrows, going beyond mere pride as it is in Lamentations. (view spoiler)[Jasper, who was originally a clumsy and rough-mannered but well-intentioned character, becomes an outright villain in this book. The final battle between Chauntecleer and the wolves in Sorrows was not only an awesome action sequence, but also evoked pathos because it showed the full and hideous extent of Chauntecleer's insanity, and how if not for Ferric's forgiveness, he would have become a monster just like Cockatrice. This scene was removed completely in the rewrite. Boo. (hide spoiler)]
Walter Wangerin, Jr. here produces a sequel that explores the emotional, relational, and spiritual themes of its predecessor in even more depth. The book is not a children's fairy tale. It is sometimes graphic, but always powerful. I sometimes laughed and sometimes had to turn away and catch my breath. On several occasions I nearly threw the book across the room. The Book of Sorrows is not misnamed. It is sad, one of the saddest stories I have ever read, and one of the most lingering. You can't shake it. But you won't necessarily want to, because the tale has much good to say about how we view ourselves and how we give and accept love. Accepting love may sometimes be harder, and accepting forgiveness can be as difficult as forgiving others.The characters in this story cannot be forgotten. They have life and breath. They feel. They enter into your heart. But they are not alone. Evil is preparing for the pounce, and that is much as things are in the world we live in, where evil is always ready to overtake us if we are not on gaurd against it. I think of God's warning to Cain in the book of Genesis: "Sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it."Do not read this book without reading The Book of the Dun Cow. But once you have, don't neglect The Book of Sorrows.
What do You think about The Book Of Sorrows (1996)?
I'm torn on how to rate this book. At times I wanted to give it a 3 for the overwhelming lack of hope portrayed in this book, until the last 2 pages. At the same time, I also felt compelled to give it 5 stars because I could see my own self-absorbed thinking in Chauntecleer's character. He gets sucked into believing that his sin is too large, and only he can make it right. No grace is large enough to forgive him, let alone LOVE him. While I don't proclaim this with my mouth, too often I live it
—Dave Rench
Hmm. I liked reading this book, and it often moved me to tears. But thinking about it now- it just wasn't what the Dun Cow was. it took a long time for the story to unfold, and spends a lot of time of wallowing in that sorrow for which it is named. It is indeed an unending march of sorrows. And once again Wangerin managed to take human truths and wrap them into a story about animals- animals which struggle mightily with themselves and each other and ultimately, against the very nature of evil (which is unspeakably evil in this book. This is the Satan that everyone has warned you about, and he doesn't dress in red and carry a pitchfork. Wyrm makes Sauron seem like a nice guy. Ugh. Creeps me out to think about it.)As I read the book, my initial complaint was that while Wyrm is up close and personal, God- personified by the Dun Cow- is very distant and seems almost powerless. All she does is weep with people, and love. And then I was like, oh yeah. Love. Duh. The most powerful force in the universe. So Wyrm plots and plans and maneuvers and destroys, and we help him with our quarrels and jealousies and pride, and the Dun Cow weeps and loves... and that is enough to end the evil. But we live with the consequences; our loved ones die. People starve. Life is a book of sorrows.Near the end, the hen Pertalote talks about her chicks that Wyrm killed in book one: she talks about what it's like to lose a child, and how all our lives our short. One of the more powerful parts of the book.
—Veronica
The tragic sequel to Book of the Dun Cow explores more intimately the nature of evil, trespass, and confession. The book is more inward-focused than its predecessor and thus more willing to explore the emotions of protagonists. Wangerin creates a compelling page turner, even if it is more "adult." Some earlier portions of the book become somewhat syrupy in describing the passions and feelings of the characters. All in all, the work is a worthwhile read that provides a cathartic conclusion to a popular story arc. A truly melancholy look at the human..erm, animal condition.
—Bart
