As a child in a Warsaw orphanage, Jarvyk Smith was involved in the production of a play that was a protest against the approaching Nazis. He and his friend Misha managed to escape the train taking them to the camps. Now Misha has perished in a remote village in India where he was involved in producing the same play.
Although his life in New York is far from the horrors of WWII, Jarvyk can’t rise above his survivor’s guilt. Even his love affair with Lucy Gardener, a transplanted Southerner with whom he has started a romantic relationship, can’t keep him from going to India to recover Misha’s remains. However, once there he becomes enmeshed in taking Misha’s place in the play being produced in the troubled village.
When it appears he is gone for a long time, Lucy follows him with the purpose of bringing him back.
This is a lyrically written book with a difficult subject. Jarvyk is torn by guilt that he was one of the only ones who escaped the Nazis. This guilt keeps him from wholeheartedly embracing life even his love affair with Lucy.
The book is an interesting exploration of the relationship between art, politics and community. It’s played out against Jarvek’s fears from the past and of moving on to the future. Although I found the ending somewhat equivocal, it’s a good look at the fallout for survivors of WWII.
I received this book from Knopf for this review.
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