| In Poland during the Second World War, scientist Athos Roussos is digging in soil, doing research amid the fighting. When he looks up from his work, he sees a thin boy covered in mud. The boy is Jakob Beer, a young boy who has spent days hiding in the forest mud after witnessing the traumatic death of his family. Athos smuggles the boy into Greece, where the two survive the war. Jakob remains traumatized by his early memories, and especially by the fate of his sister. Athos and Jakob eventually move to Canada after the war, where Jakob becomes a recognized poet and translator. In Canada, he meets Ben, a professor whose parents were concentration camp survivors. Both men struggle to understand the past and the war. Ben becomes obsessed with uncovering what he can about Jakob's life, unexpectedly learning about himself in the process. | ||
|
Plot & Themes Tone of book? - depressed Time/era of story - 1930's-1950's Is this an adult or child's book? - Adult or Young Adult Book War/Revolt/Disaster on civilians Yes Conflict: Main Character Gender - Male Profession/status: Ethnicity/Nationality Unusual characteristics: Main Adversary Identity: - society Setting How much descriptions of surroundings? - 6 () Europe Yes European country: - Greece - Poland The Americas (not US): Yes The Americas: - Canada Island? Yes Island: - food/shelter preoccupation - Caribbean Islands Writing Style Sex in book? Yes What kind of sex: - vague references only - descript of kissing Amount of dialog - roughly even amounts of descript and dialog |
||