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bagpuss_janet 's review for:
The History of Love
by Nicole Krauss
Leo Gurnsky, who is in his 70s, lives alone in a New York apartment with just his friend and neighbour Bruno for occasional company. Before the war he lived in Poland and wrote a book for the girl he loved. She didn’t like the first two drafts but loved the third. However, her parents send her to America to keep her safe - and when Leo manages to get America to find her two years later, she has married, believing him to be dead. She tells him he has a son, but her new husband is bringing him up and so sadly, because he thinks it’s for the best, he leaves his former love and his son to their new life, although he watches his son grow up from a distance. He believes the manuscript has been destroyed.
Years later, fourteen-year-old Alma is trying to find someone for her mother to fall in love with to make her mother happy - she’s been sad since Alma’s father died. Alma’s mother is translating a book and Alma wonders if the person she’s translating for might be a suitable contender.
I won’t say much more about his as I don’t want to spoil things, but something ties Leo and Alma together - but they might never find out unless they should happen to meet.
There are other sub-plots taking place too - Alma’s budding romance with her penpal Misha, who moves to the area and Alma’s brother Bird’s religion which causes problems for him amongst his peers.
I did find it a little muddling at times because there is such a lot going on in the novel, but overall I really enjoyed it.
Years later, fourteen-year-old Alma is trying to find someone for her mother to fall in love with to make her mother happy - she’s been sad since Alma’s father died. Alma’s mother is translating a book and Alma wonders if the person she’s translating for might be a suitable contender.
I won’t say much more about his as I don’t want to spoil things, but something ties Leo and Alma together - but they might never find out unless they should happen to meet.
There are other sub-plots taking place too - Alma’s budding romance with her penpal Misha, who moves to the area and Alma’s brother Bird’s religion which causes problems for him amongst his peers.
I did find it a little muddling at times because there is such a lot going on in the novel, but overall I really enjoyed it.