The Cellist of Sarajevo by Steven Galloway
Why I think this is an interesting novel: Well written, clear and easy to devour and ‘enjoy’, if you can enjoy a war novel. But The Book Thief by Markus Zusak is the same – set in the midst of war, both books are uplifting. Not everyone is brought down by the depravity of the dreadful circumstances. It’s set during the siege of Sarajevo which I think lasted four years. The author uses only 22 days of the siege for the story.
For me the story is interesting because Galloway did a great deal of research for the novel. He spoke to many who lived through the destruction, or knew the circumstances, and he makes history come alive by skillfully choosing what remains true to life and what is fictionalised. It is driven by the characters and the plot. The inner thoughts of the characters reveal how they come to make their moral judgements under pressure. I am not sure that the voice of each character is really differentiated, but it doesn’t seem to matter. The overall effect is profound. Would you pull the trigger? Would you care about your neighbour? What would you care about in all that ugliness and deprivation?
Reviews: http://www.randomhouse.ca/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780307397034
