THE BOOK FAIR

Author:      Tea Obreht

Published: 2011

Genre:        Historical Novel

Cover:        Paperback

Pages:         352

Review:

Tea Obreht’s novel, “The Tiger’s Wife”, imparts the story a young woman and the relationship she shared with her grandparents.  The novel unfolds in dream-like sequences interspersed with conversations with her grandparents.  The novel encompasses two stories, which run concurrently, and several supporting narratives of which the author unites into the conclusion.

 

Natalia Stefanovic relates stories of her grandfather’s life as told to her in mystical folktales.  As a child, Natalia’s most vivid memories are of her visits to the citadel, the zoo, with her grandfather, and particularly of visits to the tiger’s enclosure, her grandfather’s favorite part of the outings.

 

Following in the profession of her grandfather, who was a medical doctor, Natalia, a physician, journeys across the country of war torn Yugoslavia, now separated by borders and patrols, to bring medicines to the war-injured.  To better understand her grandfather, Natalie also travels to places of his many tall and spiritual tales.  The tales include, among others, the tiger, the tiger’s wife, Luka, the diggers, the apothecary, and the deathless man.  Each anecdote, as it is presented, becomes a tale within a tale of the larger story.

 

Comments:

Tea Obreht’s writing is beautiful, descriptive and full of emotion.  However, although the storyline offers an interesting premise, the tales also reveal  animal cruelty and the mysticism becomes somewhat esoteric.