Title: Everything Is Illuminated
Author: Jonathan Safran Foer
First published January 1, 2002
1 pages, Audio CD
ISBN: 9780358297031 (ISBN10: 0358297036)
Rating: 3.89
Overview
In Everything Is Illuminated, Jonathan Safran Foer embarks on a journey to uncover the truth behind his family’s past. Armed with just an old photograph, he sets out to find the woman who may have saved his grandfather from the horrors of the Holocaust.
Along the way, he is joined by a cast of unforgettable characters, including an elderly man haunted by his memories of the war, a lovestruck dog named Sammy Davis, Junior, Junior, and a Ukrainian translator named Alex, who speaks English in a delightfully mangled way. Together, they traverse a devastated landscape and delve into an unexpected past, as Jonathan imagines the history of his grandfather’s village and conjures a magical fable of startling symmetries that unite generations across time.
With inventive and intelligent storytelling, Foer creates a world that is both harrowing and exuberant, a tour de force that explores the transcendent beauty of human connections. Everything Is Illuminated is a heart-stopping read that will leave you feeling altered and seared in the fire of something new.
About the Author
Jonathan Safran Foer, a Brooklyn-based author, has achieved great success with his acclaimed novels Everything Is Illuminated and Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, as well as his nonfiction work Eating Animals, which has also become a bestseller.
Editoral Review
Everything Is Illuminated by Jonathan Safran Foer is a novel that explores the themes of memory, identity, and the power of storytelling. Published in 2002, the book is a work of postmodern fiction that employs a variety of narrative techniques, including letters, diary entries, and multiple perspectives, to tell the story of a young man’s journey to uncover his family’s past.
The author, Jonathan Safran Foer, is an American novelist and non-fiction writer. He is known for his experimental style and his focus on Jewish themes and history.
Everything Is Illuminated is his first novel and was highly acclaimed upon its release, earning numerous awards and nominations.
The novel follows the journey of a young man named Jonathan Safran Foer, who shares the same name as the author. Jonathan is a collector of family memorabilia and is obsessed with his family’s history.
He travels to Ukraine to find the woman who saved his grandfather during World War II and to learn more about his family’s past. Along the way, he is accompanied by a Ukrainian translator named Alex, who provides much of the book’s humor.
The novel is divided into three sections, each with a different narrator. The first section is written in a highly stylized English by Alex, who is not fluent in the language.
The second section is a collection of letters from Jonathan’s grandfather, which provide a glimpse into his experiences during the war. The third section is written in a more traditional narrative style and focuses on the present-day journey of Jonathan and Alex.
One of the strengths of Everything Is Illuminated is its use of multiple perspectives and narrative techniques. Foer employs a variety of voices and styles to tell his story, which keeps the reader engaged and adds depth to the characters and themes.
The book also deals with important historical and cultural issues, such as the Holocaust and the legacy of Soviet oppression in Ukraine.
The characters in the novel are well-developed and complex. Jonathan is a sympathetic protagonist who is searching for his identity and his place in the world.
Alex, the Ukrainian translator, is a hilarious and endearing character who provides a much-needed sense of humor to the story. The relationship between the two men is one of the highlights of the book.
However, one weakness of the novel is its occasionally convoluted plot structure. The shifting perspectives and narrative styles can be confusing at times, and some readers may find the book difficult to follow.
Additionally, some of the historical and cultural references may be lost on readers who are not familiar with the context.
Overall, Everything Is Illuminated is a beautifully crafted and thought-provoking novel that explores important themes and issues. It is a must-read for fans of postmodern fiction and those interested in Jewish history and culture.
While it may not be for everyone due to its complex narrative structure, it is a rewarding and enriching read for those who are willing to invest the time and effort.
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars.
