I think this has gotten to be one of the toughest book I have ever read.
It is nothing like the books that I have ever read before. If this book is to be assigned to a shelf, it could be designated to its own shelf. No books can be put on par with this book. It's not that other books are not up to par with this book. It is just that this book is the most bizarre book that I have ever come across and it has managed to provide experiences that I have never encountered elsewhere before. It is completely unique on its own.
I first started reading this book in late 2010. At first, I had problems reading this book. I found it too experimental. Especially certain chapters in which the narrator delves into what happened in the past.
If I persevered and still found it hard to read, I might even give up and abandon it. Not even close, I might even give up reading other experimental fiction from the likes of Dave Eggers, Mark L. Danielewski, etc. whom I still have not read their works yet.
Worse still, I might even be giving up reading other Jewish authors (as Foer is a Jew). In the end, due to the Jewish-ness of the book (I don't quite understand Jewish culture as this book does really require the reader to understand Jewish culture to a certain extent or in other words, Jewish readers would find reading it easier), I stopped reading the book altogether.
However, recently, as I have started to read another Jewish author's work again i.e. David Benioff's City of Thieves which also happens to be related to Holocaust experience, I thought why not give this book another shot again, might as well.
As I stumbled into another reading slump (yet again), I seriously thought of giving reading a break. It's not that I found books or reading itself no longer interesting, it was just that I had continuously read a couple of books of great quality lately and these books had managed to "absorb" all my emotions and draw up all my "energy" and experiences reserved for reading (if you know what I mean :P).
Besides, I am planning to go to yet another trip again and I would like my reading to be continuous and not be interrupted by these events. I had been planning to read Everyday by David Levithan in coincidence with this trip as I felt tired after reading so many books at one shot (i.e. within a few months) as a YA-ish book could be apt :P. This is because I am no longer working, it's not that I have just retired, it is just I am taking a break, so might as well read more books now :P (Planning to be working soon though.. On my own..).
Actually, the number of books that I have read so far this year has almost surpassed what I have read last year. Last year's number was at 13 but within just almost 4 months and half this year I have managed to recoup 12 books. What a great feat right? :P
Ok, back to the book, this is why I chose to read Jonathan Safran Foer's Everything is Illuminated again. As of now, I think I have gained enough experience as a reader as well as to read difficult books. I have read George R. R. Martin's Games of Thrones which is a very long book and certain parts may not be making any sense (hence may be boring) at all, just like this book. I have learnt to just carry on reading those difficult parts i.e. soldier on regardless of the complexity of the plot or the writings.
Besides, like my previous read books, I think I have gained enough experience to tackle other tougher experimental books. I have had enough of my own experience to draw from in order to enjoy these so-called difficult books (at my current age i.e. after the 30-year-old point).
At first, the difficult part did not make sense to me at all. There are three narratives in this book and as mentioned before, one of them delves on what happened in the past. As I read further and further into the chapters, actually one narrative helped to make sense of the other narrative. As the clarity of the difficult part had been brought to light (from reading), the book started to make sense.
Because of this, I think the book is just simply AMAZING. It is heartbreaking and achingly BEAUTIFUL like how the other reviewers summed it up. I can't talk much about the story of the book here as it would contain spoilers. A reader has to find his/her way to understand the book and immerse themselves into the book in order to enjoy the book immensely. I think you can catch my drift.
When I reached that part where everything is brought to light, it was so captivating. I couldn't believe it and at certain points, I think it did manage to move me to tears, almost!! Like I said, it is heartbreaking, just simply awesome.
Without disclosing any spoilers, I have gotten this to say: This book is about repression of memories and how it would affect the next generation. How the succeeding generation would perceive the memories repressed by the elders and how to make sense of the absence of memories or even worse, the absence of the sense of the existence of your preceding generation and what happened to them.
It was an AWESOME read. Thank you Jonathan Safran Foer. Totally recommended (but not for the easily faint-hearted ones :P)
