European Reading Challenge 2013

European Reading Challenge 2013
Hosted by: Rose City Reader
From January 1st 2013 to January 31st 2014

_______________________

This year I decided to take part in this challenge again, as I really enjoyed it and still have many books set in European countries on my TBR shelf. 

The idea is to read books by European authors or books set in European countries (no matter where the author comes from). The books can be anything – novels, short stories, memoirs, travel guides, cookbooks, biography, poetry, or any other genre. You can participate at different levels, but each book must be by a different author and set in a different country – it's supposed to be a tour. 

There are five different levels: I chose the five-star one (Deluxe Entourage) again - Read at least five books by different European authors or books set in different European countries.

1) France: Odette Toulemonde et autres histoires, de Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt
2) Switzerland: Entre deux voix, de Jenny Sigot-Müller
3) United Kingdom
   3.1) England: When will there be good news?, by Kate Atkinson
   3.2) Scotland: La dame sombre, de Ambre Dubois
4) Germany: Das dunkle Haus am Meer, von Susanne Mischke
5) Netherlands : Amsterdamnation et autres nouvelles, de Tatiana de Rosnay
6) Iceland: La femme à 1000°, de Hallgrímur Helgason
7) Italy: Le cœur d'une autre, de Tatiana de Rosnay

The Detour - Gerbrand Bakker

Title: The Detour
Author: Gerbrand Bakker
Original Title: De Omweg (Dutch)
Translator: David Colmer 
Publisher: Vintage
Release date: 2010 (English translation: 2012)
Pages: 293

 

*Sticking a new cigarette in her mouth, she picked up the 'Collected Poems' and opened it at the contents page. She'd had this book for more than a decade - there were notes in it, the pages were stained, the dust jacket war torn - and now notices for the first time how short the section titled LOVE was and how long the last TIME AND ETERNITY. She started to cry.*
_________________________________ 

A Dutch woman rents a remote farm in rural Wales. She says her name is Emilie. She has left her husband, having confessed to an affair.
In Amsterdam, her stunned husband forms a strange partnership with a detective who agrees to help him trace her. They board the ferry to Hull on Christmas Eve.
Back on the farm, a young man out walking with his dog injures himself and stays the night, then ends up staying longer. Yet something is deeply wrong. Does he know what he is getting himself into? And what will happen when her husband and the detective arrive?

Ach, writing a review of The Detour is not an easy task. Even if I finished it a while ago, I am still confused about it. No doubt, it is an unusual book which is not for everybody to read... I finished it, but did I enjoy it? I am not sure, but I would still say it was worth reading it. Perhaps because of this strangeness, which is present in the whole story and fascinated me until the last pages. Because it is something different from what we can expect reading the back cover summary.

We follow a Dutch woman, Emilie, who rents a farm in Wales after she left her husband. Slowly, we step in her new life, meeting geese, badgers, her favourite Emily Dickinson’s books, an unpleasant farmer, a curious baker, a chatty hairdresser, a strange doctor and a mysterious boy with his dog. Back in Amsterdam, the husband is investigating in order to find her with the help of a new policeman friend.

The plot is simple. Not a lot of action, not a lot of details, not a lot of explanations. The language is kept simple most of the time, be it in descriptions or in dialogues, and very sparse. The atmosphere is extremely strange. Who is Emilie? Why has she left her native country in order to rent a farm in the middle of nowhere? Who is this boy who stays with her for so long? And so on and so forth.

Gerbrand Bakker’s novel is full of symbolism and inter-textual references, which can be confusing for the readers who cannot interpret it. I must admit I felt rather lost all along the story, as we never really obtain definite answers to the hundreds of questions we ask ourselves. The end gives us a few clues, but many mysteries subsist. I had expected something big, something that would explain it all, but I must admit I was a little disappointed, although it is a nice way to end the story.

The best word to qualify this book would be enigmatic. We follow Emilie in a strange universe and take part to her everyday routine without knowing the whys and hows. Although we get to know her from the first page to the last one, she remains mysterious and so do the other characters and their actions. As I said before, there is not much action, which illustrates perfectly Emilie’s loneliness and her need to find an aim in her days. Meeting other people is nevertheless inevitable, even in such a remote place and, often, everybody knows everybody, which can be rather surprising and embarrassing.

The Detour is no doubt a wonderful book for those who can enjoy this kind of surreal atmosphere. However, many readers will probably get misled by its appearance: this small novel with few pages and apparently simple writing style is actually not so easy to understand; you might end up with more questions than before you even opened it.

The Book Thief - Markus Zusak

Title: The Book Thief
Author: Markus Zusak
Publisher: Black Swan
Release date: 2007
Pages: 554

 

* As Liesel would discover, a good thief requires many things. Stealth. Nerve Speed. More important than any of those things, however, was one final requirement. Luck.*
_________________________________ 

Here is a small fact
You are going to die.
1939. Nazi Germany. The country is holding its breath. Death has never been busier.
 Liesel, a nine-year-old girl, is living with a foster family on Himmel Street. Her parents have been taken away to a concentration camp. Liesel steals books. This is her story and the story of the inhabitants of her street when the bombs begin to fall.
Some important information
This novel is narrated by Death
it's a small story, about:
* a girl *
* an accordionist *
* some fanatical Germans *
* a Jewish fist fighter *
*and quite a lot of thievery *
Another thing you should know
Death will visit the book thief three times.

‘There’s a multitude of stories (a mere handful, as I have previously suggested) that I allow to distract me as I work, just as the colours do. I pick them up in the unluckiest, unluckiest places and I make sure to remember them as I go about my work. The Book Thief is one such story’

And a poignant one. It is Liesel’s story, which starts in 1939 in the German town of Molching. The nine-year-old girl is sent to live there with a foster family and starts her new life on Himmel Street with encounters, friends, football games, school… and thievery, especially book thievery. But war is raging in the country and the rest of the world, and nobody is safe.

Although it might first appear like a rather conventional plot, Liesel’s story is undoubtedly moving. Is it because of the theme, which is at the same time emotional and terrible? Is it because of the touch of humour that characterises the narrator’s voice? Is it because of the poetic style of the considerations on the power of words? Is it because of the agreeable and light writing? Is it because of the characters themselves and their ability to survive even in the most desperate situations? Is it because of the unusual graphic design of the book? It is probably the sum of all these little details that make The Book Thief such an extraordinary and unique novel.

Most readers’ attention will probably first be attracted by the visual aspect of the book. The cover seems to be a good mirror of what will be discovered inside, and so are the back cover and its short summary: something plain, elegant, sad, and yes, intriguing and unusual. There are hundreds of books about the Holocaust, but this one is not like any I have read before.

The story is composed of ten main parts, which are themselves divided into short chapters. Each of them includes comments and precisions given by the narrator, sometimes with lists, bullet points, definitions or even sketches and drawings. The changes in font and style give an extremely attractive appearance to the novel. On the back cover summary, we are already given a good insight of what will be told and why… as well as a useful piece of information about the narrator.

Those who have started the book without reading this extract might wonder who is telling them the story. Who is that strange person who addresses us in a casual way and who is obviously not a human being, although he lives among them? It is nobody else that Death. The idea of choosing such an unconventional narrator was a masterstroke, as it offers various advantages. Of course, he is unusual and for that reason also attractive. Moreover, it enables the author to vary the point of view. Although Liesel’s story and that of her friends, enemies and family is the most important one, the dramatic events that are taking place in the world can simply not be neglected.

Markus Zusak wrote about the Holocaust, but rather than focusing on the camps or on battle scenes, he describes the lives of several rather conventional characters in a small town. He does not try to make us hate Hitler’s supporters or commiserate with the Jews. He describes the events and the characters and the reader is left to make up his own opinion. We can easily imagine that hundreds of other families had the same daily routine as the inhabitants of Himmel Street. Some were on the Führer’s side, others helped Jews… what is sure is that war had an important impact for all of them, even the ones who did not want to be involved, even the elderly people and the children… like Liesel.

Casting Death as the narrator enables shifts between global events and the particular situation of Molching, as well as an insight into various people’s lives, which would not have been the case if Liesel was telling the story on her own. Also, the time of the story is not linear: we have many flashbacks and shifts in the future, which captivate the reader’s interest from the first word to the last. Although we are given clues about event that are to take place later on, the suspense is kept all the way and we are always waiting for one more twists and turns in the plot.

Markus Zusak’s writing style is light and easy to read. We have the feeling that we are addressed directly and thus really involved in the story. The presence of several German words or sentences – and their translation, added in a simple and natural way, for those who do not understand this language – give a local taste to the description and take us straight to Himmel Street in the 40s. You do not read the story: you live it.

Several passages are moving and some contain a touch of humour which is welcome or even indispensable when you explore such a serious theme. The author uses a wide range of extremely meaningful images and metaphors, which successfully add to the depth of the story. The colours are important for Death, as you will discover in the first pages. The power of words is analysed by Liesel in a beautiful way as the story unfolds and will probably leave more than one reader with pensive thoughts.

The characters are all detailed and well developed. Liesel is clearly the heroin, but each of the characters she encounters has got enough space for his own personality to evolve and for the reader to grow attached to him: Hans and Rosa Hubermann, Rudy, Ilsa Hermann, Frau Holzstapel, Max Vandernburg… In my opinion, The Book Thief illustrates in an accurate way what happens at war. In a single town, on a single street, you will find a mix of people: soldiers, fanatics, neutral people who do not want to take sides, hidden Jews… and so do unexpected and unbelievable relationships form and develop. In a hostile universe, people have no choice but cooperate and trust one another… or at least try to. This is what wonderful stories are often made of.

The Book Thief is no fairy tale – although you will find at least one among its pages – and it does not finish with a ‘happy end’. The last chapters are tragic but nonetheless magnificent. Despite my great sadness when I discovered what happened to Himmel Street and its inhabitants, I must admit that this ending perfectly matches the tone of the story. Most readers will probably find themselves with tears rolling down their cheeks as the inevitable happens… and after more than 500 pages, they will be wondering how he reached the end of the story without even noticing it.

A wonderful, poignant novel which is unique in its genre despite the popular theme it deals with. A heart-warming Holocaust fiction like you have never read before!

_________________________________

Thank you so much Mum for lending me this wonderful book. It is probably one of the best ones I have ever read!

Toro! Toro! - Michael Morpurgo

Title: Toro! Toro!
Author: Michael Morpurgo
Publisher: Harper Collins (Children's Books)
Release date: 2001
Pages: 127

 

*'It is all about freedom,' he said quietly. 'A man without freedom is a man without honour, without dignity, without nobility. If they come, I will fight for the right of the poor people of Andalucia to have enough food in their bellies, and I will fight for our right to think as we wish and say what we wish.'*
_________________________________ 

Antonito lives an idyllic life on his parents’ bull farm in Spain. But the idyll is shattered when he realises that his calf, Paco, is destined for the bullring. What can he do? He has a daring plan, but it will take enormous courage to see it through – because it is 1936, and the drums of war are echoing across the Spanish plains…

___________________________ 

*If I learned one thing on that last journey, and while hiding in the hills with the refugees, it was that men and women have a capacity for kindness as great if not greater that their capacity for evil.*

Stories about animals, stories about war, stories about important historical events… Three areas in which Michael Morpurgo is brilliant at. Toro! Toro! is another of his children’s novel, and one that is as moving and meaningful as many others.

With the title and the front cover already, the reader knows what the main themes will be: bulls, as said in the title, and war, as demonstrated by the aeroplanes and the ruins showed on the picture. We also understand that the story takes place in Spain, and although the front cover suggests the terrible events we are about to discover, everything starts quietly. Antonito live on a bull farm, where he helps his father look after a calf whose mother died, Paco. But when he discovers that his Paco is being prepared for the bullring, he makes the decision to save him, no matter the danger caused by the raising civil war.

By focusing the story on a child, an animal, and their extraordinary relationship, the author uses the same scheme as some of his previous books, such as War Horse and Shadow, but he knows how to bring in events that will make Toro! Toro! different and attractive to a young audience.

We are first drawn into Spanish culture, with bull fights and corrida. We get to know Antonito with enough details but not too many, in order not to distract the children. The reader will discover how the bull fights are organised at the same time as little Antonito, with descriptions and information to understand them properly.

We then understand the danger for Paco, but like Antonito, we forget another, greater danger: war. Here again, we are not given a whole lot of complicated details, but only just what is necessary for the young readers to understand what the civil war is about, who Franco is, and what is happening to Antonito’s village.

Antonito’s story is actually told by himself, but years later, when he is a grandfather. This 'story in a story' is a good point of view, as it allows a more adult glance than if it had only been little Antonito telling what happened. Also, it is probably a good book to read as a bedtime story, because the children will feel they are addressed to directly.

With Toro! Toro! Michael Morpurgo once more shows his talent for telling children stories. He gives them a good insight of important historical events without too much violence, with moving characters. The animals also add to the depth of the story, as does the unknown Spanish environment and culture. The pictures, designed by Michael Foreman, are simple and beautiful, and so is the writing style, which will probably arouse children’s attention from the age of five.

City of Swords, Stravaganza #6 - Mary Hoffman

Title: City of Swords
Series: Stravaganza #6 (6 books)
Author: Mary Hoffman
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Release date: 2012
Pages: 349

 

* 'We've all done things we wish we hadn't' said Enrico. 'And now we have to pay.'. *
_________________________________ 

Laura is a Stravagante, somebody who can travel in time and space. When she finds her talisman, a small silver sword, she stravagates with it to sixteenth-century Fortezza, where she meets Fabio, a swordsmith. Laura also meets the charming and attractive Ludo – and it's love at first sight. But their love for each other faces the ultimate test when civil war breaks out and they find themselves on opposite sides in a terrifying battle...

City of swords is the last book of the Stravaganza series so far. As the fans of the series will probably be used to by now, we follow an unhappy teenager on his trips to sixteenth century Talia, where he has a mission to accomplish. This time, we get to know Laura, who cuts herself in order to feel better. It is then quite a surprise to see her transported to Fortezza, where she meets her Stravagante, a swordsmith. But in Talia, Laura has a lot to think about, as civil was is about to destroy the city, and she must chose her side before it is too late... which is not an easy task when everybody expects her to fight against a charming man.

I must start by saying that, although I enjoyed this book overall, it is definitely not the best one in the series and I was a little disappointed. The beginning was quite strange, as we met the other English Stravaganti before Laura. It was a way of changing the style a little, as Isabel, Georgia, Nick and Sky had guessed that Laura would be the one receiving the talisman, but I felt it was taking the reader’s attention off her. As the story goes on, this feeling only became stronger; I never really felt I was discovering Fortezza with Laura. I rather listened to her telling her adventures to her new friends, which made it less interesting and lively as in the previous books.

An important part of the plot takes place in England. I enjoyed this in City of Ships, but here I felt it was sometimes a little too much. However, meeting Vicky Mulholland and several other characters we know from the rest of the series was a nice experience – and turned out quite surprising in the end. What I particularly enjoyed was Laura’s problem. We know from the first few pages that she resorts to self-harming, but there is much more to that than we would expect. Mary Hoffman really developed this aspect of her personality, much more than she did with any of the other characters, which was a good surprise.

Turning to the plot itself, I found it a little too predictable. There were a few twists and turns, but they did not seem that realistic and I was not as thrilled as I normally am. Meeting the usual Stravaganti was nice again, but they had not changed a lot, which I found rather disappointing. On the other hand, having Arianna and Luciano talk about their wedding was great and it was a good strategy to maintain the reader’s attention: Will they finally manage to get married?

I have given quite a lot of negative point about City of Swords, but I do not want you to think that I did not like it or that I would not recommend it to you. It is a great story; I just felt it did not quite live up to what I expected after five successful previous books – especially the fifth one. However, if I had to give a single reason to convince you to read it, I would say: the ending. As I said before, I was not living the story with the characters, but felt I was only a spectator. The action is sometimes quite slow, but in the last few pages, the pace clearly gets quicker. And suddenly, everything is over, before you even realise it. The ending remains nevertheless open, and each reader has to wonder... Will there be a seventh book?

_________________________________

 

Stravaganza is a series of 6 books (so far). Here are my reviews from the other books

City of masks here

City of stars here.

City of flowers here.

City of secrets here.

City of ships here.