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In the book, the protagonist is trying to deal with the horrors of war. Do you feel that the feelings of a war veteran were well portrayed?

At times I felt Steven had many of the standard PTSD type symptoms typical of a veteran; however, it was difficult to tell if these symptoms were due to his time as a soldier or a side effect of the immortality pills. I don't think the author was really focusing on Steven as a war veteran, but it made sense for the purposes of the plot. If Steven had been portrayed more in this light, it would have taken away from his use of the immortality serum and the issues he faces in China.

MarisaRose wrote:At times I felt Steven had many of the standard PTSD type symptoms typical of a veteran; however, it was difficult to tell if these symptoms were due to his time as a soldier or a side effect of the immortality pills. I don't think the author was really focusing on Steven as a war veteran, but it made sense for the purposes of the plot. If Steven had been portrayed more in this light, it would have taken away from his use of the immortality serum and the issues he faces in China.

This is a good point, MariaRose! I didn't think about what the author was trying to focus on.

Personally, I don't have much experience with those who come back from war other than what I read about, but I think his desperate need to live could definitely be plausible as a veteran.

True, it is a good point that the author was not focused on the post-war veteran experience. That experience requires long and careful and systematic investigation. Those trying to do so inevitably run into the veterans who conclude "You can't know, you weren't there."

There were many elements of the post-war experience touched on. The best, unnamed, was the despair that veterans feel when they find out you really can't go home again. That is a part that doesn't get addressed by those who deal only with horrific experiences. This is what led Steven to travel, experiment with music, and, finally, travel to Tibet.

The stupidest question I have been (repeatedly) asked, "How does it feel to kill someone?"

You can't know if you haven't had the experience.

I agree with the previous posts. While a touch of PTSD was coming through in the character, that's not what the book was focusing on. However, his experiences with war and PTSD did play a part in leading him down the path he chose.

My dad,grandpa and uncle are veterans. My dad went to Germany but all he really did as he told me many years ago is arrest his own men for drinking and direct traffic lol what job. My grandpa just recently turned 95 was in Normandy. That's really cool . My uncle was in Vietnam. My aunt and him believe that the cancer he's suffering with he either got while in Vietnam from chemicals there or when he worked at a rubber factory he got it. I'll just keep him and my aunt in my prayers. He's one strong man with his faith.

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I agree with the others. While a touch of PTSD was coming through in the character, that's not what the book was focusing on, though it did play a great part in Steven choosing what he chose.

Natalie Charlene wrote:I agree with the previous posts. While a touch of PTSD was coming through in the character, that's not what the book was focusing on. However, his experiences with war and PTSD did play a part in leading him down the path he chose.

True. In the book, it would've been great to see a more focused characterisation.