![]() Early reviewers struggling to describe the plot complications and formal excesses of the novel paid little attention to the warning element of the book. The Jacob of Tokarczuk’s title is Jacob Frank, an historical character born in 1726-a Polish Jewish mystic who became a Muslim, then a Catholic, then a monster like more recent “sacred” leaders who became self-serving tyrants. “Monstrous” because of its size, its deformation of narrative conventions, and its relation to the etymology of “monster”: warning. Set in 18th century middle Europe and clocking in at well over 900 pages with a cast of hundreds, The Books of Jacob is a monsterpiece and, perhaps, a masterpiece. A few days ago the NBA left Tokarczuk off its short list, prompting this belated notice and small remedy. When published in English, the novel received many rave reviews in both England and America, and The Books of Jacob was on the National Book Awards long list this year for translated literature. ![]() Olga Tokarczuk’s The Books of Jacob was published in Polish in 2014 and was cited by the Nobel Prize committee in her award in 2018. Yes, it’s late to be reviewing a novel published nine months ago but maybe not too late to identify a literary injustice. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |