ARTFUL READER'S CLUB
June 25, 2013
Welcome...happy to be posting a review of my June reading adventure...THE INVISIBLE BRIDGE by Julie Orringer.
A breakout novel for the author who's been known as a writer of short stories, this 600+ page historical novel is totally engrossing and brilliant. Based on the author's own family story, THE INVISIBLE BRIDGE begins in 1937...pre-war Hungary. It's the story of three brothers: the eldest studying medicine in Italy, the second studying architecture in Paris and the youngest still at home with their parents in Konyar, Hungary. Slowly, Hitler's vice closes on Europe; student visas are cancelled and ultimately, all young Jewish Hungarian men are forced to work far from their families, toiling in labor camps where conditions are increasingly desperate.
At the same time, these brothers Levi are falling in love, marrying and agonizing over their lost careers and their imagined fates. Orringer introduces us to many other compelling characters as well... characters who allow us to be eavesdroppers, in a sense. Many of the emotional and physical problems aren't seen directly, but are revealed when two characters who have been separated, reconnect with each other. I found this an interesting way to communicate what was happening everywhere in Hungary. But, it also lets the reader sense the horror of not being in control either one's own destiny or the harrowing circumstances of loved ones.
The events described provide insight into the little known aspects of what transpired in Hungary during that time in a very real way! Many historical novels describe this era, but rarely from the viewpoint of Hungarian Jews. This beautifully written novel pays tribute not only to this population but also to familial ties and relationships. It's a metaphor for love and war, yearning and loss, strength and survival under the most adverse conditions. It reminds us of the scale of what was lost and cherishes all that survived.
Admittedly, since my return from last Christmas' trip to Krakow, Poland (where my husband and I visited Auschwitz and Birkenau, both Nazi concentration camps,) I've been obsessed with novels about the Holocaust and WWII. Julie Orringer's INVISIBLE BRIDGE is as much a study of relationships and family love as it is about the horrors of the time. It deals with the war, discrimination, poverty, criminal activity...and it's full of twists and turns! It's definitely a book worth reading. My art reflects a bit about this amazing book, with the brothers Levi front and center!!
Will post my July book review the last Friday of the month...I'll be taking a few weeks off from blogging until then. Thanks for checking in! To see other book reviews from this group, check out Darcy's Art and Sole Artful Reader's Club.
Hugs,
abbyj
