Title: The Books of Jacob
Author: Olga Tokarczuk
First published October 23, 2014
965 pages, Hardcover
ISBN: 9780593087480 (ISBN10: 0593087488)
Rating: 4.06
Overview
Lie With Me, the critically acclaimed novel by Philippe Besson, is a poetic and poignant story of love and loss. Set in Bordeaux, the novel follows the chance encounter of a famous writer, Philippe, with a young man who bears a striking resemblance to his first love.
As Philippe reminisces about his teenage years, readers are transported to a small French high school in 1984, where a secret romance between two seventeen-year-olds, Philippe and Thomas, unfolds. Molly Ringwald’s translation is a dazzlingly rendered and emotionally evocative tale of first love, heartbreak, and the passage of time.
This is a beautifully written coming-of-age story that will stay with you long after you turn the final page.
About the Author
Poland’s literary scene is graced by the celebrated and adored Olga Tokarczuk, a multi-award winning author. She has been bestowed with the Nobel Prize in Literature, the Man Booker International Prize, and her country’s most prestigious literary award, the Nike.
Her repertoire includes eight novels and two collections of short stories, which have been translated into over thirty languages.
Editoral Review
The Books of Jacob by Olga Tokarczuk is a complex and ambitious work that spans centuries and explores the intricate intersection of politics, religion, and history in Poland. Tokarczuk, a renowned Polish author and activist, won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2018, and The Books of Jacob is one of her most celebrated works.
Originally published in Polish in 2014, this English translation by Jennifer Croft was released in 2018 and has since garnered widespread critical acclaim. The Books of Jacob is a historical epic that tells the story of Jacob Frank, an 18th-century Polish-Jewish messiah who claimed to be a reincarnation of King David and the reincarnated soul of the biblical Joseph.
The novel explores Frank’s rise to power and his influence on Polish society, as well as the impact that his teachings had on the Jewish community. The story is told from multiple perspectives, including that of Frank, his followers, his opponents, and various historical figures, such as Catherine the Great and the Polish King Stanisaw August Poniatowski.
At its core, The Books of Jacob is a meditation on the nature of religious belief and fanaticism, as well as a reckoning with Poland’s troubled history of anti-Semitism and persecution of Jews. The novel is an intricate tapestry of ideas, weaving together themes such as faith, power, truth, and the elusive nature of history.
Tokarczuk brilliantly captures the complexity of her subject matter, offering a nuanced and thoughtful exploration of the many contradictions at the heart of human belief. The writing in The Books of Jacob is beautiful and immersive, capturing the rich and complex history of Poland with precision and care.
The characters are vividly drawn, each with their own motivations, desires, and flaws. The novel is also notable for its structural innovation, incorporating a wide range of literary forms, including letters, journals, and documents, as well as various narrative modes, such as stream of consciousness and allegory.
However, some readers may find The Books of Jacob to be a challenging read. The novel is long and dense, and its many digressions and subplots can be difficult to follow at times.
Additionally, the novel’s focus on Jewish history and mysticism may not be of interest to all readers. Overall, The Books of Jacob is a masterful work of historical fiction that is both epic in scope and intimate in its exploration of the human psyche.
It is a must-read for lovers of literary fiction, history, and philosophy, and will appeal to anyone with an interest in Poland’s rich and complicated history. While it may not be a book for everyone, those who are willing to dive in will be rewarded with a rich and rewarding reading experience.
Rating: 4/5 stars.
