Listening to the audiobook - that is, at a slower pace than reading myself -, I realized how boring and shallow this book is. There is practically notListening to the audiobook - that is, at a slower pace than reading myself -, I realized how boring and shallow this book is. There is practically nothing of interest here, at least not for me. It even failed to be that kind of light and entertaining read, the type that can be forgiven for its flaws. No trace of engrossing atmosphere or cliff-hangers or surprising discoveries, just a jumble of banal events propelled forward by the narrator's wish to uncover his family's past and find a way to prevent a possible misfortune befalling his sister.
Simon Watson is a librarian. An interesting enough starting point which could lead somewhere. It leads nowhere, as he soon looses his job and this detail is there only to account for all the research that goes on in this novel. No noticeable love for books or other feelings I could relate to as a passionate reader. Not sooner has the novel started, that Simon Watson receives an old tome from a stranger, who thought Simon might be interested because the name of his grandmother, Verona Bonn, is inscribed on its pages. What a kind and thoughtful gesture from a total stranger! He certainly has some dark motives for sending this book. No, he doesn't.
The ancient book and the stories it reveals were the only interesting aspect of Erika Swyler's novel. As Simon leafs through the tome, trying to understand the connection between his grandmother and this book that seems to be the journal of one Mr. Hermelius Peabody, owner of a travelling circus at the end of the 18th century, another narrative thread emerges, recounting events from the distant past, when there lived a mute boy called Amos and an ethereal girl called Evangeline, who both found a home with Hermelius Peabody's circus. History moves slowly onward, alternating with the events from the present, where Simon Watson worries about the fate of Enola, his sister, but also about the decaying state of their parents' house. Their mother had committed suicide by drowning, although the women in their family were famed for their ability to hold their breath under water, and their father died shortly afterwards, leaving Simon to care for Enola. Even though she doesn't seem to appreciate this too much.
There were a lot of ingredients with a high potential for building mystery and suspense (circuses, tarot cards, a strange book, inexplicably deaths by drowning taking place at the same date throughout the centuries), but they were totally lost in a slow-moving narrative, with boring events and boring characters. The tarot cards even became a chore to read about - even though they were mentioned all the time, the author failed to wave magic around them, as she failed to weave magic around the circus. Maybe they would appeal more to a reader who is familiar with their reading, but not to me.
The writing is dull, with only a few sparks here and there, the dialogues felt ridiculous at times (a lot of „Shit!” or fodder-like replies, with no substance). The characters were quite flat and uninteresting and their dramas failed to touch me, as they couldn't convince me. Simon Watson was always complaining about something - a sprained ankle or his crumbling house or his lack of job. I couldn't care less if Simon's house fell to pieces or if Simon couldn't find another job. His sister, Enola, seemed rather a sketch, she's mainly shuffling the tarot cards or saying „Shit!” or going for a swim or cuddling to Doyle - ok, but what else? Amos and Doyle were a tad more interesting, but they lacked a lot of flesh, too, in order to become real people. I couldn't relate or warm up to any of them, Simon, Enola and Alice were the most annoying of all and the only feeling this book squeezed out of me was pity for Mr. Churchwarry, who lost some books because of Simon, and more pity for Madame Ryzhkova and her miserable life.
[spoiler] There are a lot of coincidences which felt forced - come on, who gives a total stranger an old book out of the blue (for free!), lends more expensive books to that stranger and later even does research for Simon? I can understand the passion for old tomes & research, but this still felt forced. Plus the way all main characters from present times turned out to be related to the characters in the past. Really? And Mr. Churchwarry, with all his passion for knowledge, had no idea he was a descendant of Madame Ryzhkova?[spoiler]
The ending was anti-climatic, but then it suits the book as it is. I wasn't looking for a realistic explanation, I am perfectly satisfied by a supernatural one, if it feels logical in the realm of the book. But here it lacked power and substance, just like the entire novel did. [spoiler] At some point I came to think that all the women had drowned because they did some terrible thing in their past and came to the same conclusion, that they were murderers and should better take their own life. It turned out to be a curse perpetuated by the tarot cards, just that. [spoiler]
What about the title? I didn't get it and I don't see how it relates to the plot. It's all a speculation in the end and the descendants can't really understand the lives of their ancestors, or what? Maybe it has to do with the fact that Simon doesn't know the stories we are told (he only catches glimpses of the lives of those mentioned in the book, but not the whole picture) and he can only speculate on their joys and misfortunes and passions. And reasons for taking their own life. Nah, it would be too deep for this book....more