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I didn’t like the book. It was unfortunate. I like poetry, classical music, non-plot-driven meditations and international settings all, and I even thought parts of the book, some turns of phrase and certain atmopheric settings (such as Athos’ Zakynthos house) were beautiful, but this book just didn’t coalesce in a good way for me.
It was all a bit overdone. I didn’t mind the style and I don’t mind a realistic book sometimes seeming contrived, but the contrivances here were too much for me and so it all ended up muddled.
This book focuses on one particular war horror and uses it as the basis and symbol for the entire book. While I can understand that decision, I’m not a huge fan of books that dwell on war horrors. I look past this if I like a book and I wanted to here, but because I didn’t like the book I couldn’t.
There is a question of authenticity and artificiality. This story struck me more as an outsider writing that hasn’t quite captured the reality they were hoping for. I think Michaels was successful with places, but not with people.
Also, some characters were too good, too perfect or even too sympathetic for the depth and complexity that Michaels was reaching for and it struck me as off-kilter.
Finally, while the novel and situation is unique, the Holocaust seems an overly obvious choice. It is so horrific and so often used. If an author doesn’t have an intimate relationship with it because of location, family history, etc., then I may be critical of why it was chosen as a subject. Michaels was mostly subtle on this point except for the many flashbacks, but it was the springboard for everything that followed including the anguish, and thus to me was one of the more major contrivances.
I do see why others like and even love the novel but it just didn’t work for me. Regardless, thanks HIMS for a wonderful list of books. Bad luck on my part with this one in particular but there were many others on your list that I’m now aware of and looking forward to reading some day.
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