Categories: book-review
Tags: book review
Date: 02 February 2009 20:42:38
Auntie Doris managed to read 11 books in January. I've finally managed to finish the book that I've had on the go since mid-December! It was our book group book and none of us managed to finish it in time for our meeting (a couple of weeks ago), but we still managed to have a really good discussion about it. There were mixed feelings - I liked it, the others were either indifferent or didn't think that much of it. We've had a run of books I've enjoyed at book group recently - I hope I enjoy the next one as much (luckily it's quite short so that's a big point in its favour already!).
It's the story of an American, Jonathan, who goes to Ukraine to try to find the woman who saved his grandfather from the Holocaust. All he has is a photograph of his grandfather with a young woman (not his grandmother), who is the woman who got him out of Ukraine. But more than that, it's the story of his interpreter, Alex, who has a hilarious way of mangling English, longs to leave Ukraine and go to America, but is always looking out for his (very eccentric) family. On top of this, there is also a history of Jonathan's family going back to the 18th century, which as the book progresses you realise is Jonathan's fictionalised account rather than (necessarily) what actually happened. The stories weave between these three strands, often in the form of letters exchanged between Jonathan and Alex after Jonathan has left Ukraine and returned home. Interest is added with Alex's grandfather, who claims he is blind but who is the driver for their journey, and his (female and highly inappropriate) guide dog Sammy Davis Junior, Junior. As the book progresses you realise that there is a dark side to Alex's grandfather, and you just know that he has been involved in something really distressing and directly to do with the village Jonathan's grandfather lived in. This event is eventually revealed towards the end of the book.
The book covers everyday life in a small Jewish village in the late 18th century and in the early 40s, just before the Germans arrive in the village. It also covers Jonathan's, Alex's, the grandfather's and Sammy Davis Junior, Junior's journey to find the village and try to find Augustine, the woman in the photo. I found it really funny - lots of ridiculous situations and conversations and details - but also with a rather dark undercurrent throughout the book. I'd recommend it.
Unlike lots of books I like, I'm quite tempted to take a look at the film, which by all accounts was well-cast and reasonably faithful to the book. It had Elijah Wood as Jonathan and that guy from Gogol Bordello as Alex. Although I'd not seen the film I did know about that casting already, so I was able to picture them as those characters, so at least I wouldn't have that experience of being disappointed at actors who were nothing like how I imagined the characters.