 |
| Warlight |
In a narrative as beguiling and mysterious as memory itself--shadowed and luminous at once--we read the story of fourteen-year-old Nathaniel, and his older sister, Rachel. In 1945, just after World War II, they stay behind in London when their parents move to Singapore, leaving them in the care of a mysterious figure named The Moth. They suspect he might be a criminal, and they grow both more convinced and less concerned as they come to know his eccentric crew of friends: men and women joined by a shared history of unspecified service during the war, all of whom seem, in some way, determined now to protect, and educate (in rather unusual ways) Rachel and Nathaniel. But are they really what and who they claim to be? And what does it mean when the siblings' mother returns after months of silence without their father, explaining nothing, excusing nothing? A dozen years later, Nathaniel begins to uncover all that he didn't know and understand in that time, and it is this journey--through facts, recollection, and imagination--that he narrates in this masterwork from one of the great writers of our time.
Warlight
Author : Michael Ondaatje
Published : June 2018
Genre : Fiction
Pages : 308 (Paperback)
Publisher : Vintage International
It was my first time reading Ondaatje's novel that totally different from my expectations. Yes, I watched English Patient-popular movie that happened because of the same title-book. That's the very reason why it is discrepant from my expectations.
Ok, before I tell you why, I will go to the brief summary of Warlight.
Warlight is fictional story about a boy that abandoned by his parents at the post-war era. His parents excused themselves to move to Singapore for the job and together with his older sister, he lived in the hand of a friend of their mother, The Moth.
At first, they didn't understand that they were being abandoned, they believed that their parents will come back for them or at least, they will come to Singapore.
As a teenager, Nathaniel-the boy name and Rachel-the older sister made a lot of troubles at the boarding school just to seek their mother's attentions. But it is only the Moth that come to rescue them.
The personality, the Moth himself is bit odd and eccentric. He never treat both of them as children, including meeting them with the Moth's acquaintances. Even living in Nathaniel's home, the Moth never hesitated to invite friends or doing party in the house. Nathaniel and Rachel didn't mind either.
Thru the Moth, the siblings met lot of adults with specific personality. Nathaniel's favorite person is The Darter, he was a very carefree, eccentric and interesting persona. He was a dog smuggler, even ask Nathaniel to join him do the law-breaking activities.
During school and odd activities at home, Nathaniel was doing okay with his sister. Gradually, he even didn't seek his mother anymore. Nathaniel getting involved with The Darter activities, even get close with many of Darter's girlfriends.
Growing, Nathaniel fond of a girl, let's just say Agnes. Agnes is his co-worker and they enter the adulthood live together. Even Nathaniel introduce Darter to Agnes as his father. May be deep of his heart, Nathaniel still desire the father figure in his life, and Darter is the closest definition of father to him.
Meanwhile, Rachel is depend to the Moth.
Nathaniel's life free continue until one accident that almost take his life and ultimately he reunited with his long lost beloved mother...
But it didn't stop there, the real turbulent is life after he met his mother again.
I wouldn't say this is light reading, but not lengthy also. It is slow paced book with beautiful prose and diction. I would say that Ondaatje is true expert of beautiful language. Not much dialogue but the descriptions is very revealing that made me feel, I am flirting with language.
With Nathaniel backwards story, he tries to trace back event by event in his life that shape him into adulthood. The seek of her mother background and story, his vanished father and even people around his life.
He tries to understand how a family is functioning. He tries to understand his mother on her late life, even his sister denied her. Though not much got information about his mother, but eventually he understand his mother decisions.
It is very interesting perspective from post war era that never been told before. Especially when the author said that his emphasis is try to transcend a human story from unsafe era thru the safest place inside the government building. It is like multilayered stories to shape one human being. Event, trauma, friends, family and trajectory are the factors that why we didn't understand our selves or on the other hand.
I would say it is very beautiful writing, but just not my cup of tea. But I will say once again, it is very different perspective from one of War's victims and may be..it will be one of classical literature that last forever.
I would recommend this book to them who tries to find out the inner self or just missing about the family.
Nice read still!
At first, they didn't understand that they were being abandoned, they believed that their parents will come back for them or at least, they will come to Singapore.
As a teenager, Nathaniel-the boy name and Rachel-the older sister made a lot of troubles at the boarding school just to seek their mother's attentions. But it is only the Moth that come to rescue them.
The personality, the Moth himself is bit odd and eccentric. He never treat both of them as children, including meeting them with the Moth's acquaintances. Even living in Nathaniel's home, the Moth never hesitated to invite friends or doing party in the house. Nathaniel and Rachel didn't mind either.
Thru the Moth, the siblings met lot of adults with specific personality. Nathaniel's favorite person is The Darter, he was a very carefree, eccentric and interesting persona. He was a dog smuggler, even ask Nathaniel to join him do the law-breaking activities.
During school and odd activities at home, Nathaniel was doing okay with his sister. Gradually, he even didn't seek his mother anymore. Nathaniel getting involved with The Darter activities, even get close with many of Darter's girlfriends.
Growing, Nathaniel fond of a girl, let's just say Agnes. Agnes is his co-worker and they enter the adulthood live together. Even Nathaniel introduce Darter to Agnes as his father. May be deep of his heart, Nathaniel still desire the father figure in his life, and Darter is the closest definition of father to him.
Meanwhile, Rachel is depend to the Moth.
Nathaniel's life free continue until one accident that almost take his life and ultimately he reunited with his long lost beloved mother...
But it didn't stop there, the real turbulent is life after he met his mother again.
I wouldn't say this is light reading, but not lengthy also. It is slow paced book with beautiful prose and diction. I would say that Ondaatje is true expert of beautiful language. Not much dialogue but the descriptions is very revealing that made me feel, I am flirting with language.
With Nathaniel backwards story, he tries to trace back event by event in his life that shape him into adulthood. The seek of her mother background and story, his vanished father and even people around his life.
He tries to understand how a family is functioning. He tries to understand his mother on her late life, even his sister denied her. Though not much got information about his mother, but eventually he understand his mother decisions.
It is very interesting perspective from post war era that never been told before. Especially when the author said that his emphasis is try to transcend a human story from unsafe era thru the safest place inside the government building. It is like multilayered stories to shape one human being. Event, trauma, friends, family and trajectory are the factors that why we didn't understand our selves or on the other hand.
I would say it is very beautiful writing, but just not my cup of tea. But I will say once again, it is very different perspective from one of War's victims and may be..it will be one of classical literature that last forever.
I would recommend this book to them who tries to find out the inner self or just missing about the family.
Nice read still!
Comments
Post a Comment