You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
arellareads 's review for:
The Postcard
by Anne Berest
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
“For almost forty years, I have tried to draw a shape that resembles me, but without success. Today, though, I can connect those disparate dots. I can see, in the constellation of fragments scattered over the page, a silhouette in which I recognize myself at last: I am the daughter, and the granddaughter, of survivors.”
“The Postcard” devastated me, and then it enlightened me. I thought about its contents every time I set the book down — it is, by far, one of the most poignant stories I’ve ever read. Berest has such a straightforward yet poetic way of conveying emotion, and examining major philosophical dilemmas surrounding purpose, family, trauma, war, evil, and humanity. The subject matter is incredibly depressing, but the voice Berest gives to the past, and the parallels she draws between wartime and modern-day, are extremely relevant, meaningful, and at many times, frightening.
The book is described as a “roman vrai,” or “true story,” which begins in 2003 when Berest’s mother receives an anonymous postcard in the mail, containing nothing except the names of four direct relatives murdered in Auschwitz. The first section of the book retells the heartbreaking story of the Jewish Rabinovitch family trying to survive in France during WWII. The rest of the book unravels the mystery of the postcard, bouncing between Berest’s unrest at her identity, her search for meaning and truth – rooted in historical research and family diaries – and the inherited-trauma and hereditary ties which bind all of our lives to the ones who lived before us. Her commentary makes this an absolute must-read.
“The Postcard” devastated me, and then it enlightened me. I thought about its contents every time I set the book down — it is, by far, one of the most poignant stories I’ve ever read. Berest has such a straightforward yet poetic way of conveying emotion, and examining major philosophical dilemmas surrounding purpose, family, trauma, war, evil, and humanity. The subject matter is incredibly depressing, but the voice Berest gives to the past, and the parallels she draws between wartime and modern-day, are extremely relevant, meaningful, and at many times, frightening.
The book is described as a “roman vrai,” or “true story,” which begins in 2003 when Berest’s mother receives an anonymous postcard in the mail, containing nothing except the names of four direct relatives murdered in Auschwitz. The first section of the book retells the heartbreaking story of the Jewish Rabinovitch family trying to survive in France during WWII. The rest of the book unravels the mystery of the postcard, bouncing between Berest’s unrest at her identity, her search for meaning and truth – rooted in historical research and family diaries – and the inherited-trauma and hereditary ties which bind all of our lives to the ones who lived before us. Her commentary makes this an absolute must-read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Murder, War