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The Accordionist's Son

Bernardo Atxaga,

Margaret Jull Costa (Translator)

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Nov 16, 2024 Tony rated it liked it

Shelves: novels, setting-europe, translated-fiction, setting-us-west

The themes of authorship, voice, and memory weave throughout this layered novel by Atxaga (the author's name is itself a pseudonym) set around the fictional Basque village of Obaba. That same village (or a version of it), was the subject of the author's first work of adult fiction (Obabakoak) and not having read it, I have to wonder to what extent reading that first would give even greater depth to this one.

The book is framed by contemporary opening and closing sections on a small ranch in Tula The themes of authorship, voice, and memory weave throughout this layered novel by Atxaga (the author's name is itself a pseudonym) set around the fictional Basque village of Obaba. That same village (or a version of it), was the subject of the author's first work of adult fiction (Obabakoak) and not having read it, I have to wonder to what extent reading that first would give even greater depth to this one.

The book is framed by contemporary opening and closing sections on a small ranch in Tulare County, California (about 30 miles southeast of Fresno). David is the titular character who emigrated to the US in the 1970s to join his uncle Juan, and married an American woman and started a family. Now he is dying, and his childhood friend and writer Joseba (which is Atxaga's real first name), is visiting. The core of the book is David's memoir, which Joseba has reworked into fiction, mostly covering their growth from adolescence in the 1960s into teenage students, college, and eventually, underground activists.

The world of this past feels both fully real and emotionally amplified. As in real life, there are a ton of characters threaded throughout the lives of the protagonists, some of whom have nicknames, and keeping them and their relationships all straight can be a challenge at times. Meanwhile, the story has a kind of hazy ruminative aspect to it as David reflects on the mistakes, misdeeds, and misadventures of his youth. At the heart of it all lies the ugly history of the town during the Spanish Civil War, when seven men were murdered by fascists. David's father might have participated in this, even as his father's brother was on the other side.

And so the personal, familial, and political histories all mingle in complex ways whose stakes are raised as David and his friends become more active in the Basque independence movement, and ETA terrorism starts to manifest. It's a little scattered at times, and while the writing is certainly evocative it never fully got a grip on me. Readers with an interest in Basque history and culture should definitely seek it out, as should those who enjoy fiction that dives deep into memory and reflection. ...more

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Nov 02, 2007 Catherine rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Feb 27, 2014 Terri FL marked it as to-read

Shelves: novel

Mar 06, 2018 Terri marked it as around-the-world

Shelves: spanish-fiction

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