Fugitive Pieces by Anne Michaels
First things first, a pardon for the oft-irregular updates as I'm sure you, my dear understanding readers, would forgive.
Straight to the point, I've just finished reading the internationally acclaimed novel "Fugitive Pieces" written by Canadian poet Anne Micheals and my first thought upon putting the book down was "Damn I have to blog this!"
It was that good or I wouldn't have cared less (even Frank McCourt couldn't get me to move my bum).
Divided into two parts, the novel has a common theme- life after the Nazi Holocaust. The first part tells the story of seven-year-old Jakob Beer who manages to escape from the Nazi. Unfortunately, the rest of his family (his parents and much-adored elder sister) are killed. On the run, Jakob is rescued by Greek geologist Athos Roussos who then smuggles the boy to Zakynthos, an island in Greece.
The second part of the story comes after Jakob's death and focuses on Ben, a professor who comes to know of Jakob through Maurice. With Ben's parents survivors of the Holocaust who are still very much haunted by their pasts, the family's relationship is bitter and this is resented by Ben. Things are further complicated with the arrival of Ben's wife, Naomi into le familia.
Both narratives paint an unbelievingly vivid picture of loss, despair, and finally joy through love. This has been the first time since I've such thoroughly enjoyed a novel heavilly labelled "literature". Through the use of poetic language and an excellent manipulation of words, Anne Michaels gives a hauntingly accurate account of details which enable one to relate and empathise with the characters' emotions. You just feel it.
Straight to the point, I've just finished reading the internationally acclaimed novel "Fugitive Pieces" written by Canadian poet Anne Micheals and my first thought upon putting the book down was "Damn I have to blog this!"
It was that good or I wouldn't have cared less (even Frank McCourt couldn't get me to move my bum).
Divided into two parts, the novel has a common theme- life after the Nazi Holocaust. The first part tells the story of seven-year-old Jakob Beer who manages to escape from the Nazi. Unfortunately, the rest of his family (his parents and much-adored elder sister) are killed. On the run, Jakob is rescued by Greek geologist Athos Roussos who then smuggles the boy to Zakynthos, an island in Greece.
The second part of the story comes after Jakob's death and focuses on Ben, a professor who comes to know of Jakob through Maurice. With Ben's parents survivors of the Holocaust who are still very much haunted by their pasts, the family's relationship is bitter and this is resented by Ben. Things are further complicated with the arrival of Ben's wife, Naomi into le familia.
Both narratives paint an unbelievingly vivid picture of loss, despair, and finally joy through love. This has been the first time since I've such thoroughly enjoyed a novel heavilly labelled "literature". Through the use of poetic language and an excellent manipulation of words, Anne Michaels gives a hauntingly accurate account of details which enable one to relate and empathise with the characters' emotions. You just feel it.
le novele
posted by devil's advocate at 12/10/2006 05:44:00 PM
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