A Constellation of Vital Phenomena
lilyofthevalley says:
The interconnected stories of several characters in Chechnya throughout five days in 2004, though there are many flashbacks to events in the preceding decade. When Havaa's father is taken to the landfill their neighbor and friend Akhmed secrets her out of town to a hospital where he puts her under the care of the only doctor in residence, Sonja. How the characters are all connected is slowly revealed which leads to a beautiful, though sad, ending. The author also manages to convey a lot of history of Chechnya and the recent wars there, something I knew very little about. I'm glad all the good reviews brought this book to my attention.
Raffaela says:
This is one of those books that will stick with you and make you think, question yourself, and the world around you. The novel takes place in Chechnya, which I am embarrassed to admit, I knew very little about this part of the world or the horrible violence and history it has been through in the last 30-40 years. Each cha...pter has a timeline at the top and the year the chapter relates to is highlighted and the story goes from past to present, back and forth. The way the characters lives intertwine is beautiful and graceful and heartbreaking. As each part unfolded I would catch my breath and see the connections deepen between the characters. Parts are very hard to read because it describes (in a very unemotional tone) the torture, the violence of war, the struggle to survive, the sex trade, and the repercussions of Stalin's purges. Parts will amaze you at what people sacrificed for their loved ones and for their country. There is frequent use of the F word in the book, for those who may be offended by language. I wouldn't let that deter you from the power of this story. While it is fiction, it has opened my eyes to another piece of history and human suffering and triumph.MoreLess
The interconnected stories of several characters in Chechnya throughout five days in 2004, though there are many flashbacks to events in the preceding decade. When Havaa's father is taken to the landfill their neighbor and friend Akhmed secrets her out of town to a hospital where he puts her under the care of the only doctor in residence, Sonja. How the characters are all connected is slowly revealed which leads to a beautiful, though sad, ending. The author also manages to convey a lot of history of Chechnya and the recent wars there, something I knew very little about. I'm glad all the good reviews brought this book to my attention.
Raffaela says:
This is one of those books that will stick with you and make you think, question yourself, and the world around you. The novel takes place in Chechnya, which I am embarrassed to admit, I knew very little about this part of the world or the horrible violence and history it has been through in the last 30-40 years. Each cha...pter has a timeline at the top and the year the chapter relates to is highlighted and the story goes from past to present, back and forth. The way the characters lives intertwine is beautiful and graceful and heartbreaking. As each part unfolded I would catch my breath and see the connections deepen between the characters. Parts are very hard to read because it describes (in a very unemotional tone) the torture, the violence of war, the struggle to survive, the sex trade, and the repercussions of Stalin's purges. Parts will amaze you at what people sacrificed for their loved ones and for their country. There is frequent use of the F word in the book, for those who may be offended by language. I wouldn't let that deter you from the power of this story. While it is fiction, it has opened my eyes to another piece of history and human suffering and triumph.MoreLess
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