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I love stories about individuals set against the backdrop of historical events. The fall of the Soviet system and German Unification were probably my lifetime's most consequential historical moments. I never lived in the eastern block, but growing up in India, I was surrounded by Marxist and socialist ideology. The worldview of our generation was deeply influenced by the leftist movements throughout the world. Therefore, the changes that took place in the late eighties profoundly affected many of us. We could not avoid questioning whether all the sacrifices and loss of life were in vain. My father, a filmmaker in India, also made a film that portrayed a middle-class family in Calcutta in the backdrop of the fall of the Berlin Wall.
The novel is built around a disturbing relationship between a married intellectual in his late fifties and a young woman in her early twenties. Throughout their turbulent relationship, there was tremendous political turmoil in German politics. The author remains ambivalent about the two systems, which is reflected in the contradictions within the main characters. This non-partisan perspective is what makes it such a great read. However, the only thing that bothered me throughout was the incredulity of the relationship from a psychological perspective. I constantly felt that the behavior of the two characters was a bit contrived to fit the author's thesis.
The book received the Booker Prize, but I am unsure if this is the best novel written in 2023. It is certainly a remarkable book, written with great intellect and amazing style, but is it worthy of the prize?