I finished this and wanted to talk about it with someone about it, if you havent read it, here is the blurb
In The Elements, acclaimed Irish novelist John Boyne has created an epic saga that weaves together four interconnected narratives, each representing a different perspective on the enabler, the accomplice, the perpetrator, and the victim.
The narrative follows a mother on the run from her past, a young soccer star facing a trial, a successful surgeon grappling with childhood trauma, and a father on a transformative journey with his son. Each is somehow connected to the next, and as the story unfolds, their lives intersect in unimaginable ways.
I loved this book. The way the stories are tied together is wonderfully done. I found the characters well rounded, and flawed in believable ways.
I think Boyne did a great job of showing how hurt people hurt others without making it feel like he was justifying the actions. He handles sensitive topics with grace, including one that is rarely brought up.
The book made me feel all the emotions, whether it was the disgust at the lawyers for shaming someone, the heart break of failing as a parent, and the joy of rebuilding.
Im not someone who usually like contemporary fiction, but this was fantastic. I do not give out 5/5s very often but this is one.
For those who have read it, what did you think?
Out of the four stories I think Water and Air were my two favorite.
Fire was pretty good, I was worried when the rapist was a woman it would be used to lessen her crime, but we get to see how it affected others and we got to see the kind of monster she was
Earth was solid, but my least favorite. The two scenes that disgusted me, but in a good way meaning the author conveyed it well were the rape scene, and then when the lawyer shamed the victim by bringing up her past. made me want to scream. 6 months relationship while not long term, is so much different than a random hookup Im glad that Evan eventually made the right choice
Perhaps what really elevated this book for me was seeing the cycle broken. In Air Aaron could have easily ended up being like Freya, but he broke the cycle. Even if he was hurt and flawed, he finally decided to get help. and of course in Earth Evan turning in the phone years later. It does not absolve him of what he did, but it is a start. Clearly though it wasnt enough for him to clear his conscience.
Loved it, felt this a strangely cozy story, perhaps because it's about overcoming our obstacles no matter how long it may take us
by ACardAttack