Siggy and Gaff feel like the middle lost generation. Overall, this is a typical 1960s generation book. There’s nothing wrong with that, but it did make some plot points feel forced. Although his crush on Gallen is the catalyst for a key plot point, I actually felt that he had infinitely more feelings for Siggy. He is someone who I don’t understand and couldn’t relate to. Gaff, on the other hand, is not a well-rounded character. Siggy isn’t crazy he’s just unconventional. Personally I think he is just misunderstood, which is why I had issues with Gaff worrying about going crazy like Siggy. Through his notebook we see how his parents’ unconventional meeting and marriage as a result of uncontrollable war circumstances has made him the slightly crazy person he is today. It wasn’t until reflection that I realized I enjoyed Siggy’s story, but not Gaff’s. I had a difficult time getting into the book and was frustrated with it at the end. Here Siggy’s voice is bookended by Gaff’s. Irving utilizes a storytelling technique I’ve always particularly enjoyed–a character finding a notebook and the character and reader reading that notebook together. Their adventure takes a side-turn though when Siggy becomes obsessed with letting loose the zoo animals in Vienna and Gaff becomes obsessed with a girl named Gallen. Siggy convinces Gaff to buy a motorcycle together to adventure across Europe. Distressed he goes to a motorcycle shop where he meets Siegfried Javotnik.

Hannes Gaff has failed his exam at university in Vienna.

Setting Free the Bears is his first novel and is set in Europe as opposed to New England. John Irving is an American writer best-known for T he World According to Garp and A Prayer for Owen Meany.

John irving bears