Thought provoking and at places gut wrenching.
I must confess from the outset that I did struggle with this book, starting, stopping and restarting it a number of times. I think that this was due to the plot strings that involved going between past and present such that I struggled at times to follow the link between the museum and the events in Laure’s past. That said I did persevere and I am glad that I did.
This is not an easy book – there are layers to the plotting that only careful reading can fully appreciate especially when events in Berlin are discussed and it is here that the facets of Laure’s personality are explored through the eyes of Petr. It is also where the complexities of character and its role in desire are explored. It is also where the outcome of Laure’s relationship with Tomas is first discussed in relation to the wider relationship between Laure and Petr and Laure and Tomas.
This is a well-crafted story not only of the relationship between Tomas and Laure but of the story of life in Czechoslovakia during the final years of Communism and the search for freedom sought by individuals and groups.
This is not an easy book – there are layers to the plotting that only careful reading can fully appreciate especially when events in Berlin are discussed and it is here that the facets of Laure’s personality are explored through the eyes of Petr. It is also where the complexities of character and its role in desire are explored. It is also where the outcome of Laure’s relationship with Tomas is first discussed in relation to the wider relationship between Laure and Petr and Laure and Tomas.
This is a well-crafted story not only of the relationship between Tomas and Laure but of the story of life in Czechoslovakia during the final years of Communism and the search for freedom sought by individuals and groups.