So lately i've been going through Olga Tokarczuk's books (in a reverse chronological order mostly) and i've been fascinated by the last two i read – "Primeval and Other Times" and "House of Day, House of Night".
They have an unusual structure, especially HDHN as it contains many pieces with different characters, appearing briefly or reappearing later on, all connected with a singular thread that you start to see only as you go deeper into the book. But what i really enjoyed is the historical context – Poland before, during and after WWII. These books deal with the passage of time and often war is presented as something glooming in the distance, a cloud that people are only starting to notice, a shift that is felt but can't yet be articulated. And then the devastation and the drastically different world left behind. Drafts, migration, abandoned homes, homes taken over by new owners, going back to your homeland but it's not the same…
I'm looking for something in that manner. I know it'll be difficult to find something quite like Olga's approach but anything that you think might feel similar is welcome
by MrFameKills
2 Comments
I recently enjoyed The Post Office Girl by Stefan Zweig, it’s about a woman in her late twenties in post WWI Austria, she feels her childhood has been robbed by war, especially after she gets to go away on holiday with her estranged and wealthy aunt. Fascinating exploration of wealthy people/lifestyle in between the wars, as well as anger at the state of things for those who are less fortunate.
You might like Ken Follett’s The Century Trilogy. Or Elizabeth Jane Howard’s The Cazalet Chronicles.