The Notebook - Agota Kristof - 3 Stars

[Olivermagnus]

The Notebook has to be one if the most disturbing books I've ever read. It follows two unnamed twin brothers who are left on their grandmother's doorstep during the middle of WWII. She lives near the battlefront on the Hungarian/Austrian border. Their grandmother, who is called "The Witch" by the townsfolk, shows them no love and immediately puts them to work. It gave me a little Hansel and Gretel vibe.

The twins witness violence and perversion that, at times, can be extraordinarily uncomfortable to read. They must learn every trick of evil and cruelty just to survive. Their relationships with other people are mostly brutal. The twins' closest friend is the priest's housekeeper, a beautiful young woman who plays erotic games while bathing them. When something happens during a procession of starving Jews being led through town on their way to a camp, the twins take manners into their own hands.

They document their experiences, archiving their daily life in the manner of factual record of events. The twins never say how they feel or discuss their emotions. This novel is comprised of short chapters, few of them longer than a couple of pages, written in sparse, sober prose.

This book is not for the faint of heart. At some point I may read the next two books of the trilogy, The Proof and The Third Lie. In the meantime, I'm reaching the next next book in the Chet and Bernie series to cleanse my mind.