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A review by cnyreader
City Sister Silver by Jáchym Topol, Alex Zucker
3.0
This novel is set in post-Velvet Revolution Czech Republic. The sense of unrest, of people not knowing who to trust or how to conduct their lives, is very well represented. The book is narrated by Potok, a young man who is an actor by trade, but part of an "Organization" that makes money in all kinds of underhanded and illegal ways. They are brothers, he and his organization, not just associates and they all have very particular roles. Potok's adventures take dangerous and ill-fated twists as he pursues his "sister"- the woman he loves.
The language in the book is not always obvious in meaning, but it's not difficult once you fall into the story. I think I could read it a dozen more times and get more and more meaning out of it. As I was reading (and I found the book to be compulsively readable, even in the midst of dream sequences that were hard to comprehend), it was easy to let the words wash over me without having to work at the story. The use of ellipses is rampant throughout the book, but I got used to the rhythm of the story quickly. Read this book when you have time and space for it. It's not quick or easy, but it was worth reading. Bone up on the Velvet Revolution a bit, too- helps things make more sense.
Food: a trio of sorbets- peach, beet and green tea. The first is vibrant and full of flavor, lively; the second is earthy, dark, too pungent for some; the last is light and ethereal, hard to catch. There's so much flavor and so many different notes. It doesn't really seem like it all goes together and can be a little overwhelming, but you remember the experience.
The language in the book is not always obvious in meaning, but it's not difficult once you fall into the story. I think I could read it a dozen more times and get more and more meaning out of it. As I was reading (and I found the book to be compulsively readable, even in the midst of dream sequences that were hard to comprehend), it was easy to let the words wash over me without having to work at the story. The use of ellipses is rampant throughout the book, but I got used to the rhythm of the story quickly. Read this book when you have time and space for it. It's not quick or easy, but it was worth reading. Bone up on the Velvet Revolution a bit, too- helps things make more sense.
Food: a trio of sorbets- peach, beet and green tea. The first is vibrant and full of flavor, lively; the second is earthy, dark, too pungent for some; the last is light and ethereal, hard to catch. There's so much flavor and so many different notes. It doesn't really seem like it all goes together and can be a little overwhelming, but you remember the experience.