APRIL's ARTFUL READERS REVIEW
April 26, 2013
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It's the last Friday of the month...time for the big reveal at the Artful Reader's Club, part of the ART and SOLE blog! My choice for this month...THE TIGER'S WIFE! It's young Tea Obrecht's breakout novel and has won numerous awards.
THE TIGER'S WIFE follows Natalia, a young doctor who lives in an unnamed country that's a ringer for the author's native Croatia. She learns that her beloved grandfather (who was also a doctor,) has died while she's across the border on a mission to deliver vaccine to an orphanage. (This is a story in itself!!) Natalia combines her work with her search for answers about her grandfather's mysterious death. The narrative spans her present actions as well as many poignant memories of her grandfather... for example, how he'd regularly take her to the zoo and read to her from his treasured copy of Rudyard Kipling's JUNGLE BOOK. The author combines these stories with additional stories of him and the village of his birth where, following German bombardment in 1941, a tiger escaped from the zoo and was befriended by a mysterious deaf-mute woman. The evolving story of the tiger's wife, as the deaf-mute becomes known, forms one of two strands that sustain the novel... the second being her grandfather's stories about one Gavran Galle, a deathless man, who appears several times throughout his life.
Tea Obreht is, in many ways, a marvelous writer. Her words are magical and beautifully constructed as she easily combines realism with fantasy and successfully intertwines them almost inseparably. But, in the end, I'm interested in the people and the whys behind what they do. Though the folktales were wonderful, without the character of the grandfather they were meaningless to me. We never really do discover why he died where he did. Further, why did he have such a passion for tigers and why did he hold so tightly to his old, battered copy of the JUNGLE BOOK? Was it just to maintain some connection to his childhood?
When Tea Obrecht wrote this book, she was under the age of 25... what an extraordinary introductory novel!!! That said, I struggled through much of the first half of the novel because of its complexity and unorthodox flow of the chapters...confusing. But, THE TIGER'S WIFE is filled with beautiful writing and imagery...it IS art...but THIS reader could have done with a little less art and more humanity. I would recommend it for the pure artistry of the author's words and the engaging folktales...not for the fulfillment of the initial story's promise.
Thanks for stopping by...perhaps this book is for YOU!! It certainly incited my imagination and my awe of the author's imagery!! Please check in again in a few days when my regular art blog is back!
Big Hugs,
abbyj
Your art is poignant, and puts many of the focal points you discussed in focus. Very impressive. Also, I was impressed with your review. I really enjoyed how your words contained such passion about this book and the author who seems to have captured your imagination.
ReplyDeleteThe Tigers Wife has been on my wishlist for a while and after reading your review it is still firmly there. It sounds like it is written really well and has enough 'story' to it to keep you reading. Your artwork looks beautiful, I love how the tiger dominates the page.
ReplyDeleteYour collage is very complex and, like the story, full of riddles. It is a terrific collage, and I just don't know how you do it.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that a story is fuelled by, and has meaning and interest through its characters. I am finding the same sort of problem with my May book.
I love besutiful writing ( including your lovely writing in your review) but I think that I seek too much escapism these days to tackle it. But I enjoyed your review and artwork.
I've never heard of Tea Obrecht before. I may look into this. I like your tiger in the city collage.
ReplyDeleteThe book does sound intriguing. I do love the imagery you have come up with. Happy ARC Dxx
ReplyDeleteThat is an amazingly complex collage Abby could look at it for hours. The start of the book sounds very similar to the one I reviewed this month, in the complicated structure of the story, but was worth it in the end. I would not be happy to get to the end of a book and not find the answer to the original mystery though. :D XXX
ReplyDeleteYour digital piece is absolutely wonderful! So much to see and expertly executed. I enjoyed your review and would be asking similar questions myself, I think. Have only just got back into reading this year and this book sounds a bit too much of a challenge for me at the moment!
ReplyDeleteJanet xx
This sounds like an interesting read and i totally love your artwork for it. :)
ReplyDeleteThis book sounds wonderful. But I am kind of lazy nowadays with reading and wonder if this one would require more energy and concentration than I have handy :) Fantastic artwork!!!! is it digital? I wish I had your skills!
ReplyDeleteHow big is such a digital art piece? Is it possible to print it postcard-size? I like to send postcards all over the world and it's so beautiful that I would buy such cards without thinking twice!
ReplyDeleteNo, I wouldn't try to make them without permission... :)
The book sounds pretty amazing, it might not be an easy read but it did leave you wonder and to me that is a good read! ♥
I'm always interested in following tales by great word-crafters, so i might give this one a go. Your art is wild!
ReplyDeleteI am so amazed by your digital art...so detailed and the elements meld together so well...such a talent...thank you for a FABulous review from the first-time author.
ReplyDeleteFabulous digi art, just love how you merged the book spine in there. not sure about this book, it sounded very promising, especially as the author was so young.
ReplyDeleteVery comprehensive review. Amazing art work so detailed. Brilliant.
ReplyDeleteJen x
Oh my...you have made this book sound complex yet wonderful.....and your art work is stunning.
ReplyDeleteI felt an immediate affinity for the grandfather as I read Kipling's "Just So" stories to my son during night feeds...I know that as a small baby he wouldn't understand but it just felt right to share some wonderful stories with him.
Hugs xx
Love your digi art. Great review - it sounds like an interesting read. x
ReplyDeleteBeautiful artwork and great review. The digital collage is remarkable with the juxtaposition of the color images on a complex black and white background of images...really gives you a sense of the story you described in your review.
ReplyDeleteThe book has peaked my interest, so I probably will seek it out from the library sometime this summer. Thank you!