The Rules of Engagement: Amazon.ca: Catherine Bush: Books

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Customer Reviews

6 Reviews

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
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Average Customer Review

4.3 out of 5 stars (6 customer reviews)

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2.0 out of 5 stars A Flawed Novel, July 17 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: The Rules of Engagement (Hardcover)

This novel has several flaws (it made me want to grab a great big red pen and get to work). The "duel" scene wasn't worth dragging up to - it shouldn't have been in the last pages. The relationship with the father didn't further the plot in any way and tag-lined somewhere on the edge of the story (To make the book longer? What was the point of this? It added nothing to the main character). Several times in the novel the main character is off on her own doing some task that inevitably fails (finding Basra, finding Evan, etc) and after awhile I wished she would stop bringing us all along with her. The relationship with Amir is left hanging in the middle of the novel after we have spent the first have of the novel meeting him (Why, WHY, does she stay in Toronto??? Why did we meet Amir at all???). My worst pet peeve: Several times in the story Arcadia "bumps" into people in huge, bustling cities. The first time this happens, I can deal with it. The second time it happens, the author points it out; it's not believable, but I give her the benefit of the doubt. However, Catherine Bush does it a THIRD TIME later in the novel with Evan . . . c'mon now. It's no longer a coincidence. It's just contrived. I did enjoy the revelation in the end. . . if only it were better handled and I didn't have to suffer the whole book to get to it.

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5.0 out of 5 stars Reminiscent of Kundera, April 24 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: The Rules of Engagement (Hardcover)

In "The Rules of Engagement", Catherine Bush creates a near
flawless meditation of the nature of war and the nature of
love. Arcadia Hearne, the main character, flees from Canada (and two
lovers), then emigrates to England, where she excels at hiding from
the past, allowing only her sister and parents sporadic contact.

Over
the course of this novel, Arcadia has to come to terms with acts of
agression in both her personal life (a duel is fought over her) and in
her professional life (Arcadia works for the Centre for War
Studies). She also comes in to contact with a group which facilitates
escapes for African refugees. As she aids in facilitating these
refugees' flight, Arcadia is compelled to face her demons, and return
to Canada for the first time since her departure a decade
previously.

Bush is a masterful writer, with insights and meditations
of both love and war which are reminiscent of Milan Kundera's
"The Unbearable Lightness of Being" and
"Immortality." While the correlation between war and love is
present, Bush is skillful in not abusing the power of the metaphor
through overuse or heavy-handedness. Overall, the writing is fresh and
intelligent. The story is utterly believable, and Arcadia Hearne is an
incredible character. Through Arcadia's quirks, and the idiosyncracies
of the people in her life, these people come to life in their own
unique way.

This is an incredibly intelligent novel, and a highly
enjoyable read. If you like Milan Kundera's early novels, you will
definitely enjoy "The Rules of Engagement."

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5.0 out of 5 stars This One Will Keep You Thinking, Feb 26 2001

By

Elizabeth Hendry (New Jersey USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)

This review is from: The Rules of Engagement (Hardcover)

The Rules of Engagement is a fabulous novel. Catherine Bush has given us a terrific story that will make you think about the nature of love and war, of bravery, cowardice and risk. Arcadia Hearne is a Toronto native living in self-imposed exile in London. As the novel unfolds, we learn, little by little, about why seh left, and what she has done in London. She left because two of her lovers had a duel over her. The pain of the consequences of the duel was too overwhelming for her, so she fled, escaping to London. Her story, and how she finally addresses her past and deals with issues in the present, is fascinating and well-told. Bush tells the story, plaing concepts of love and war against one another. It's wonderful food for thought. There is a revelation towards the end of the novel--almost blink and you've missed it--that you won't get out of your head. I highly recommend this one. Enjoy.

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Most recent customer reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating and elegant
The Rules of Engagement is a fine novel, written in icily beautiful language, precise in its observations and the psychological development of its narrator, Arcadia Hearne. Read more

Published on Dec 23 2000 by Matthew Cheney

5.0 out of 5 stars A great new novel
This is a fantastic and unusual book. It is a gripping and sexy narrative that keeps the reader turning the pages to uncover the secrets at the heart of the story. Read more

Published on Oct 10 2000