Rate this book

Blooms Of Darkness: A Novel (2010)

by Aharon Appelfeld(Favorite Author)

3.4 of 5 Votes: 4

ISBN

0805242805 (ISBN13: 9780805242805)

languge

English

genre

History & Biography

publisher

Schocken

review 1: 11 year old Hugo's mother gives him to her high school friend to hide him. Mariana is a whore servicing Nazi soldiers who constantly jeopardizes her job by drunkenly refusing to do some of the demands of her customers. But she loves her "puppy", Hugo, whom she hides in her closet. This novel takes place in the Ukraine and is told in a very matter-of-fact way, probably due to the translation. When the Russians took over from the Germans, I was surprised that there was a small crowd of others who had survived being hidden away, despite constant searches. Once again we are reminded of how far the reach of the Nazis was. Seen from Hugo's eyes, who passes the time imagining he is with his family and friends.
review 2: This is Holocaust fiction, but not as I've... more known it. It's a coming-of-age novel that happens to take place during the Holocaust; 12 year old Hugo isn't all too aware of what's happening and where his family and friends have disappeared to. He seems overly innocent, even though he lives in a brothel and is seduced by a prostitute. He doesn't indicate to what extent he knows what she does and what the noises he can hear at night indicate, and he doesn't express all of his feelings towards his seducer, or feel anything much once he learns she's been put to death or that his parents won't be coming back. He's a strange 12 year old, but he lived in a strange and hostile time. He has very vivid dreams; perhaps the borders between real life and dreams are blurred for him and he really isn't sure what to feel. less

Download links for: Blooms of Darkness: A Novel

Advertising