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A review by bhsmith
Anatomy of a Disappearance by Hisham Matar
4.0
"Anatomy of a Disappearance" is the story of a very complicated love triangle between a man, his son, and a woman they meet while vacationing. Thrown in the mix, of course, is a bit of a mysterious disappearance (hence the title) in which readers never quite know who to believe or just how things will turn out. But, this is far from a detective thriller. This is the story of a 14-year-old-boy who can't quite connect with this father, is confused by the behaviors of his recently-deceased mother, and is infatuated with the woman who will become his mother-in-law.
Hisham Matar masterfully unfolds this story over the course of several hundred pages. The most simple of sentence at the beginning of the book may conjure up questions or doubt that will only be explained in a similarly cloaked revelation at the end of the story. This effect, though, is not frustrating or cumbersome, but instead created a much stronger connection to the narrator, his point of view, and the way in which he saw the world.
The writing is very straightforward, the chapters short, and the story wonderfully simple in a captivating way.
Hisham Matar masterfully unfolds this story over the course of several hundred pages. The most simple of sentence at the beginning of the book may conjure up questions or doubt that will only be explained in a similarly cloaked revelation at the end of the story. This effect, though, is not frustrating or cumbersome, but instead created a much stronger connection to the narrator, his point of view, and the way in which he saw the world.
The writing is very straightforward, the chapters short, and the story wonderfully simple in a captivating way.