Summary
The narrator of this novel is the son of Czech emigres who grows up amidst his parents' fellow emigres and their stories of the past. He overhears bits and pieces about his unhappy and distant mother and a love affair she had with a member of the Czech resistance. As an adult he travels to Czechoslovakia to learn more about her, but, unable to find much evidence, instead invents a story that explains her actions.
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Critique
This novel is written in two parts: the first, the narrator's childhood, and the second, a fictionalized account of his mother's life during the war. It is beautifully written and explores the lives of emigres and the effect of their pasts on their children. It's also an exploration of fact vs. fiction and a loving tribute to his parents. Highly recommended.
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