Last night I finished reading “The History of Love” by Nicole Krauss. I had seen this book pop up a lot on Amazon.Com, sometimes in my recommendations. To be honest, seeing the title and a female’s name for author, I never looked at it. I figured it wasn’t for me. Finally, one day a couple of weeks ago, I decided to see what it was all about. Glad I did. I soon found a copy of the UK version (though from someone in the US) at BookMooch, and quickly grabbed it.
For a plot synopsis, here is a review (without spoilers that ruin anything) written by Gisele Toueg that is listed under the description of the book at Amazon.Com:
Nicole Krauss’s “The History of Love” is a hauntingly beautiful novel about two characters whose lives are woven together in such complex ways that even after the last page is turned, the reader is left to wonder what really happened. In the hands of a less gifted writer, unraveling this tangled web could easily give way to complete chaos. However, under Krauss’s watchful eye, these twists and turns only strengthen the impact of this enchanting book.
“The History of Love” spans of period of over 60 years and takes readers from Nazi-occupied Eastern Europe to present day Brighton Beach. At the center of each main character’s psyche is the issue of loneliness, and the need to fill a void left empty by lost love. Leo Gursky is a retired locksmith who immigrates to New York after escaping SS officers in his native Poland, only to spend the last stage of his life terrified that no one will notice when he dies. (“I try to make a point of being seen. Sometimes when I’m out, I’ll buy a juice even though I’m not thirsty.”) Fourteen-year-old Alma Singer vacillates between wanting to memorialize her dead father and finding a way to lift her mother’s veil of depression. At the same time, she’s trying to save her brother Bird, who is convinced he may be the Messiah, from becoming a 10-year-old social pariah. As the connection between Leo and Alma is slowly unmasked, the desperation, along with the potential for salvation, of this unique pair is also revealed.
The poetry of her prose, along with an uncanny ability to embody two completely original characters, is what makes Krauss an expert at her craft. But in the end, it’s the absolute belief in the uninterruption of love that makes this novel a pleasure, and a wonder to behold.
To add to the description, there is a book in this novel called “The History of Love” that features a character named Alma. It was published in Chile, and it becomes a favorite of Alma’s father and mother (Charlotte), and they name her after the character. Also to note, Leo wrote a book before leaving Europe, and sent a copy of it, piece by piece, via letters to the woman he loved who immigrated years before he did. These lead to the connections between Leo and teenage Alma.
Nicole Krauss
Two things strike me about this book. The story is very well put together. It is also revealed at a pretty good pace. It becomes clear where and why there is a connection, then it is interesting to see how it all unfolds on the characters. And those characters lead to the second things that stuck out.
The characters are very well done. The division between Leo, Alma, and Bird is very distinct. Krauss did a great job in creating these characters, and giving them very different voices, partially through the layout of the text that embodies their first person point of view. The only slip up was Charlotte. She is supposed to be dragging and a bit secluded because of her feelings of longing for her dead husband. I didn’t buy it. Very unconvincing. But boy did she nail the main two characters and Bird. The book is only 250 pages long, and it doesn’t take much to see the differences between them.
The story itself was made fascinating through the characters’ voices. In some respect it was a lot of daisy-chained events. However, Krauss through her characters presents it in a light that makes it a joy to read, and a mystery to watch unfold. As for the ending, it was interesting. Rather artistic, I would say. It leaves something for the imagination of the reader, which is usually a good thing, which is what I thought in this case.
For those that like novels about books, this is a real winner. Though it’s a great story regardless.
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