Egy angyal önéletrajzai

by Gábor Schein

"Schein Gábor könyvében egy elbeszélő, egy angyal mesél el két, időben és térben egymástól nagyon távoli életrajzot. A német Johann Klarfeld története a 18. században játszódik. A másik életrajz főszereplője az 1943-ban született Józsa Berta, dédszülei, nagyszülei, szülei és saját maga történetén keresztül egy magyarországi család sorsa tárul fel. A sűrű motivikus kapcsolatokon túl az otthontalanság mindent átható érzése, a származás elhallgatása, eltitkolása, a megbélyegzettségtől való félelem, a feledésben felbomló, de teljesen soha fel nem számolható zsidó identitás miatti szorongás és rettegés fűzi össze egy regénnyé a két történetet."

Genres: Fiction

234 pages, Hardcover

Published January 1, 2009

Reviews

[Morgan]

The title of this book fascinated me. However, I have no right to rate it as I have no idea what it is about. It felt dense and laboured and while I am sometimes weary of translations – I doubt that was what caused me to not understand a word of it. I suspect it is just intellectually way over my head.

[Bandit · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’m the first person to write an actual review (words and all) for this book and I wish I had nicer things to say about it. It sounded interesting, WWII and its aftermath usually make for good dramatic stories, and it was good as far as international reading goes. Alas, it just really didn’t work for me.
And it was one of those things when you can tell from the first few pages but then go on hoping it’ll somehow magically become a book you wished it was and not the book it is.
What this book is…is a dense stream of consciousness like narrative for its entire duration with scarcely a line of dialogue to balance it out. It’s essentially the book that overnarrates itself into near unreadability. Which is kind of frustrating because on individual basis the sentences are fine, quite good at times, even, but the sum total is just a stew too heavy to stir. Or a mud too dense to wade through. Or whatever metaphor you want to go with.
It didn’t help that the ARC offered through Netgalley had one of those things where it omitted F and F adjacent letters, but either way, the book didn’t wow, didn’t even come close.
It was a typical university press publication. Serious, heavy, arty in an exclusive ponderous way. That precise brand of intellectualism that puts one to sleep.
Overall, a disappointment, albeit a very quick read. Thanks Netgalley.

[Anita Salát · Rating 4 out of 5]

Being a Hungarian myself, one may find it odd that I am reading a book by a Hungarian author in English.

Firstly, I hardly read anything in Hungarian these days (shame on me), and secondly, I am a huge admirer of literary translators, and if there's a big name amongst English translators of Hungarian prose and poetry then Ottilie Mulzet is one. So, forgive my boldness, Mr Schein, I have picked up your book because of Ms Mulzet.

This is not my usual genre, so I had expected this to be a long and somewhat boring reading journey, but it was not! Hence the four stars. Apart from some Goethe-like contemplation here and there, I found the two stories interesting even if I am not taking too much of them with me. The Translator's Notes at the end of the book comes really handy for those not familiar with the historical and cultural background.

Thank you NetGalley and Yale University Press for this Advance Review Copy.

[Mandy · Rating 1 out of 5]

This one defeated me, I have to admit. I tried, I really did, because the subject matter – anti-Semitism, Jews in Hungary in WWII - sounded relevant and relatable, but I found the narration so opaque and dense that it simply went over my head. I couldn’t work out what was going on. Narrated by an angel, apparently, it has two main characters, Johann Klarfeld, born in Germany in 1723, and Berta Jozsa born in Hungary in 1944, and somehow they are linked. Maybe I bailed too early, maybe it would all have become clear, but I wasn’t willing to persevere. My loss, maybe, but there are so many other books waiting to be read.

[Kristina · Rating 3 out of 5]

first 70% was slow, then it was good

I don't think I'm the right person to appreciate this book - I liked it but I'm sure there are those who will adore it, and it unfortunately isn't me