Everything is Illuminated, July 2021 BOTM

[Kristel]

Review thread; https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

[[deleted user]]

Discussion questions:

1) The story is told in 3 distinct narrative voices did you enjoy this technique? and what if any was your favourite voice?

2) What does the story say about the ideas of history and memory?

3) What examples of illumination are found throughout the book?

4) What is the significance of the chapter titles?

5) What roles does love play in the novel?

6) Good people do bad things discuss?

7) Would you class this as a holocaust novel why or why not?

8) Did you appreciate the ending?

9) Does this book belong on the list?

[[deleted user]]

I am looking forward to seeing what others made of the book as I really enjoyed it and think it should make for good discussions.

[Diane]

I read this quite a few years ago and really liked it. I didn't care for some of his other books, though.

[Gail]

I read this in 2018 and loved it. The use of multiple narrators, all of who are unreliable, was well done rather than confusing and the love of language and story telling shone through the depiction of very sad times. The humor was quirky and the legends made for an interesting interpretation of history, i.e. history is just another story but humans need stories.
I am looking forward to seeing what others think.

[Pip]

I read it in 2016 and was unimpressed. I found the voice of Alex the most annoying, although his English improved and was therefore easier to follow as the novel progressed. I was left with many questions about the plot which were unresolved in my mind. I will be interested to see what others make of it. Book's questions will make for good discussion, but I have decided against a reread. I will post my review above. Someone reading it now may have answers to the questions I had at the time.

[H]

Okay so I didn’t really like this book and don’t really have a huge amount to say about it, but here are my views on the discussion points anyway.

1) I didn’t like the narrative technique to start with, but I did start to get used to it. Alex was my favourite narrator, especially as his voice matured toward the end of the book, he dropped his pretence and really came into his own.

2) “She has become an expert at confusing what is with what was with what should be with what could be.” This book appears to try and write a history based on unreliable memories. Jonathan, our ‘hero’ writes the worst of people (perhaps also the truth) whilst Alex implores him to rewrite a happier ending (even if it is not true).

3) This book should have been called ‘Nothing is illuminated’ for me, as I obviously missed whatever the author was trying to shine a light on.

4) I honestly have no idea what was going on with the chapter titles, maybe someone else could explain that bit to me.

5) “There is no love--only the end of love.” He sure does mention love a lot in this novel, but I wouldn’t really say it was the main theme. The only time I got a sense of love was Alex stepping up to take care of his family in the end, even though they might hate him for it. “One day you will do things for me that you hate. That is what it means to be family.”

6) When good people do bad things, it haunts them.
“It's so hard to express yourself.'
I understand this.'
I want to express myself.'
The same is true for me.'
I'm looking for my voice.'
It's in your mouth.'
I want to do something I'm not ashamed of.'
Something you are proud of, yes?'
Not even. I just don't want to be ashamed.”

7) Yes I think I would, as those parts of the storyline were actually well written and that’s where I could see the author's talent for writing shine through.

8) “It was not the feeling of completeness I so needed, but the feeling of not being empty.” No, I did not appreciate the ending, I feel like it was a real effort to get through this book, only for it to not really come together in the end.

9) Does it belong on the list? That’s a hard question to answer, some parts of the book definitely do merit a place on the list, the tragic retelling of not-Augustine and Grandfather/Herschel stories, but as for the rest of it, I’m less convinced.

[Diane]

1) The story is told in 3 distinct narrative voices did you enjoy this technique? and what if any was your favourite voice?
I have read books in the past with multiple narrators, I didn't love nor hate this technique in this book. My favorite narrator in this story was Alexander.

2) What does the story say about the ideas of history and memory?
Memories fade and change over time.

3) What examples of illumination are found throughout the book?
I had read this question before I started reading the book so while I read my paperback version I tagged all the instances of illumination. Each time period and each narrator has periods of illumination.

4) What is the significance of the chapter titles?
Telling what time period you are in and who is narrating.

5) What roles does love play in the novel?
Love between a parent and child. Love between spouses. Love between friends.

6) Good people do bad things discuss?
Oh poor Herschel.

7) Would you class this as a holocaust novel why or why not?
I would say yes as the reason for the journey was the Holocaust and two of the time periods dealt with the Holocaust.

8) Did you appreciate the ending?
I did not appreciate the ending and the book did not come together for me.

9) Does this book belong on the list? No