The book opens with Jakob Beer as a seven-year-old child hiding in the bog in order to escape the Nazis. His family did not escape and were killed. Jakob was found by Athos Roussos, who smuggled him out of Poland and brought young Jakob to live with him in Greece. After the war, they immigrated to Canada. Jakob later becomes a poet and translator. The story is told by Ben, who discovered Jakob’s diaries, a man whose parents are Holocaust survivors.
This is primarily a story about memory, love, and loss. Anne Michaels is an accomplished poet, which is really demonstrated in this, her first novel. Every sentence is carefully crafted poetry. Her descriptions have great depth and make the reader see the great beauty and great horror.
This book is not a fast read. I found myself having to stop and ponder a lot. This was both negative and positive for me. I am not a huge fan of poetry, so in that sense this book was too lyrical for me. However, by being forced to stop and ponder I found some wonderful pearls.
I saw the movie version, which is what prompted me to read this book. The movie was a gem and I loved it. Sometimes it takes an overly lyrical novel to make a great film. It is very rare that I like the film version better than a book, but this is one of those cases.
I’m glad I read the book. I got to explore the characters more deeply. Now I want to see the movie again.
3.5/5
Note: If you have also reviewed this book, please feel free to post you link in the comments. I will then add it to the end of my review.
Copyright 2007-2010: All the posts within this blog were originally posted by Teddy Rose and should not be reproduced without express written permission.
The book opens with Roman tucking his 6-year-old son in for the night. He then decides to leave the house, with his son in it, to go to a bar down the street for a quick drink. He’s gone about 15 minutes. When he returns, his son is missing.
Throughout the book we follow Roman on a remorseful journey. A journey of regret, sorrow, relationship problems, searching, and all those things that normally go with loss.
I really wanted to like this book and I did, I just didn’t love it. David Gilmour really has a way with words, and this really shines through. His mature prose was sometimes poetic, sparkled with some dark humour.
The major problem I had with this book was that every time Roman would dream, they would be in sequence. It’s like he planned it that way and he could do this at will. We don’t dream that way. I sometimes wish we did, because I have had dreams that I wish would continue the next time that I fell asleep. LOL!
I think with Gilmour’s talent, he could have done much more with this book. That said, this is the first David Gilmour book I have read, but I will definitely try another.
3/5
Note: If you have also reviewed this book, please feel free to post you link in the comments. I will then add it to the end of my review.
Copyright 2007-2010: All the posts within this blog were originally posted by Teddy Rose and should not be reproduced without express written permission.
This challenge is being hosted by me. That’s right, Teddy is finally hosting her own challenge.
The challenge will run from June 21, 2008-September 21, 2008. It will be to help those of us with ARC’s to get in gear and read and review them.
Here are the rules:
1. Make a list of all of the ARC’s that you currently have and/or are on their way to you.
2. If you have: 1-3 ARC’s then pick at least one to read and review for this challenge. 4-6 ARC’s then pick at least two to read and review for this challenge. 7-9 ARC’s then pick at least three to read and review for this challenge. 10 or more Arc’s then pick at least 4 to read and review for this challenge.
3. Crossovers with other challenges are allowed.
4. List the books that you plan to read for this challenge (you can change it at any time, as long as the books you change are also ARCs). You can read the books on your list in any order.
5. Read the books and review them on your blog. If you don’t have a blog, you can post your review on sites like Amazon. Leave a comment on this post with a link to each of your reviews.
6. Be sure to leave a comment on this post with a link to your blog post about this challenge.
7. Since this is my first challenge as host, please let me know if I have left anything out. LOL!
8. Enjoy!
This is my list of all of the ARC’s I currently have (there may be more on their way, but they are unconfirmed, so I will update if there are):
1. Blood Harvest by Brant Randall 2. The Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson 3. The Golden Age by Tahmima Anam 4. The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein 5. The Longest Journey by Diana Patterson and Rita Turner 6. The Lace Reader by Brunonia Barry 7. The Horseman’s Graves by Jacqueline Baker 8. Testimony by Anita Shreve 9. Jakie Ormes: The First African American Woman Cartoonist by Nancy Goldstein 10. Rainbows End by Peter Webb 11. Ringside 1925: Views From the Scopes Trail by Jen Bryant 12. The Glimmer Palace by Beatrice Colin 13. Stealing Athena by Karen Essex 14. Dear John by Norma L. Betz 15. Sweet Mandarin by Helen Tse
The 4 books that I plan to read for the challenge are:
Photo credit: Teddy Rose From Lighthouse Park in West Vancouver, BC Canada
Copyright 2007-2010: All the posts within this blog were originally posted by Teddy Rose and should not be reproduced without express written permission.