The Maze

by Panos Karnezis

Anatolia, 1922. Pursued by a Turkish army after three years of Greek occupation, a retreating Greek brigade has lost its way. Commanded by a brigadier with a passion for Greek mythology and a secret addiction to morphine, the brigade's only chance of salvation is to reach the Mediterranean coast and sail home. As the army wanders through the inhospitable land, morale crumbles among the troops, a spate of thefts goes unsolved and every man's thoughts retrurn to a terrible act of vengeance committed by the brigade.

Their luck seems to change, when they come across a small town, up until then untouched by the war, where the mayor and schoolteacher are in competition for the favours of the local courtesan and a failed newspaper correspondent is drinking himself to death for lack of a story.

But instead of outrunning its Furies, the brigade brings them to this seemingly idyllic palace, with fateful consequences for soldiers and citizens alike.

Genres: Fiction, Greece, Historical Fiction, Novels, Contemporary

200 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2004

About the author

Panos Karnezis was born in Greece in 1967 and came to England in 1992. He studied engineering and worked in industry, then studied for an MA in Creative Writing at the University of East Anglia. His first book, Little Infamies (2002), was a collection of connected short stories set in a nameless Greek village. His second book, The Maze (2004), a novel set in Anatolia in 1922, was shortlisted for the 2004 Whitbread First Novel Award and won the Pendleton May First Novel Award. Short stories by Panos Karnezis have been broadcast by BBC Radio 4 and have appeared in Granta, New Writing 11, Prospect, and Areté. His other novels are The Birthday Party (2007, shortlisted for the Encore Award 2009 for the best second novel); The Convent (2010); The Fugitives (2015) and We Are Made of Earth (2019).

Reviews

[Tea Jovanović · Rating 4 out of 5]

I fell in love with this author after I reviewed his first book "Little Infamies" - collection of stories. But since on Serbian market short stories doesn't sell well, I had to give up my wish to acquire the rights... That was in 2004... And I am very pleased to see now that all his novels are translated into Serbian in recent years... This is one of must read authors... :)

Srpski prevod je dobar, trebate da se upoznate s ovim autorom...

[Vaso · Rating 3 out of 5]

Στα βάθη της Ανατολίας, τον Σεπτέμβριο του 1923, μια αποδεκατισμένη μεραρχία, προσπαθεί να βρει το δρόμο της προς τα παράλια. Ο μέραρχος Νέστωρ, πνίγει τον πόνο του στη μορφίνη, ο επιτελάρχης Πορφύριος, προσπαθεί να αφυπνίσει τους στρατιώτες με επαναστατικά φειγ βολάν, κι ο παπά -Συμεών, προσπαθεί να κρατήσει ακμαίο το ηθικό τους αλλά χωρίς επιτυχία. Μέχρι που φτάνουν σεια πόλη, που μοιάζει να μην την έχει αγγίξει ο πόλεμος κι οι κάτοικοί της ασχολούνται με τα πρόσφατα κουτσομπολιά.

Ο συγγραφέας έγραψε το βιβλίο το 2004 και κυκλοφόρησε παράλληλα και στην Αγγλία όπου διαμένει μόνιμα. Δεν είναι μια ιστορία για την Μικρασιατική καταστροφή. Θα έλεγα ότι είναι ένα βιβλίο γεμάτο παραλληλισμούς (Κάθοδος των Μυρίων, ελληνική μυθολογία) και περισσότερο ένα βιβλίο χαρακτήρων. Το πρώτο μέρος είναι αρκετά αργό, αλλά οι περιγραφές της ατμόσφαιρας και η σκιαγράφηση των χαρακτήρων θα κρατήσουν το ενδιαφέρον του αναγνώστη.

3,5 αστέρια

[George K. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Βαθμολογία: 9/10

Πρώτη επαφή με το έργο του Πάνου Καρνέζη και δηλώνω εξαιρετικά ικανοποιημένος. Με βάση κάποιες συγκεκριμένες κριτικές που διάβασα πριν πιάσω το βιβλίο στα χέρια μου, περίμενα ότι αν μη τι άλλο θα ήταν ένα καλογραμμένο και ακριβώς του γούστου μου μυθιστόρημα, όμως η αλήθεια είναι ότι δεν περίμενα ότι θα μου άρεσε τόσο πολύ, ότι θα με καθήλωνε στον βαθμό που με καθήλωσε, έστω και αν αντικειμενικά η πλοκή κινείται με σχετικά αργούς και σταθερούς ρυθμούς, με ελάχιστες εξάρσεις. Θα έλεγα ότι η πλοκή είναι αρκετά απλή και ίσως προσχηματική, έτσι ώστε ο συγγραφέας να σκιαγραφήσει ορισμένους τύπους ανθρώπων και πώς αντιδρούν αυτοί σε μια ιδιόρρυθμη και αρκετά δύσκολη κατάσταση, όπως είναι η επιστροφή στην πατρίδα μετά από μια στρατιωτική ήττα, μέσω μιας αρκετά ψυχοφθόρας πορείας σε άγνωστο και εν πολλοίς αφιλόξενο περιβάλλον. Ο συγγραφέας καταφέρνει να μεταφέρει το κλίμα της εποχής και της περιοχής (βρισκόμαστε στον Σεπτέμβριο του 1922, στην έρημο της Ανατολίας), να δημιουργήσει μια κάπως γκρίζα και ζοφερή ατμόσφαιρα, αλλά και να αγγίξει θέματα σχετικά με τον πόλεμο, όπως είναι η πίστη, η προδοσία, η υπακοή/ανυπακοή σε διαταγές ανωτέρων, η δειλία, και πάει λέγοντας. Όσον αφορά τη γραφή, μου φάνηκε πάρα πολύ καλή, ρεαλιστική, λιτή και απέριττη, χωρίς φιοριτούρες και αχρείαστες πολυλογίες, με ειρωνική και σκωπτική διάθεση απέναντι στους πάντες και τα πάντα. Τέτοιου είδους βιβλία, με τέτοιο σέτινγκ, τέτοια γραφή και τέτοια ατμόσφαιρα, πάντα θα με εξιτάρουν και θα με καθηλώνουν. Το μόνο σίγουρο είναι ότι θα διαβάσω και άλλα βιβλία του συγγραφέα.

[Lila Dimaki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Άκρως ατμοσφαιρικό έργο,υποβάλλει συναισθήματα και σκιαγραφεί την ιστορική περίοδο του μικρασιατικού πολέμου εξαιρετικά!

[Anthony Panegyres · Rating 4 out of 5]

After a slow start, the pacing and colour picked up once the focus moved to the Anatolian village. Shades of Graham Greene and Gabriel Garcia Marquez.

[Keith Silver · Rating 4 out of 5]

I came across this book by chance among used books at a charity fundraiser in Athens. The book jacket piqued my interest as it described the story of a Greek Expeditionary Force retreating from Asia Minor in 1922. Unfamiliar with the Greek-UK author Panos Karnezis, I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I was pleasantly surprised with the richness of the story and its characters. A finalist for the 2004 Whitbread First Novel Award (along with fellow non-winner Susanna Clarke for Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell) this was a remarkable achievement using the backdrop of a little known historical event to weave a tale that started out slow but became a page turner by the end. By its conclusion, the novel combined magical realism, Greek mythology, religion, ethics, morals, superstition, war, justice and revolutionary ideas. I look forward to reading more of Panos Karnezis’ stories.

[Deb · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lost brigade of Greek soldiers led by a morphine-addicted Brigadier is trying to find their way out of the desert in Asia Minor at the end of the war with the Turks. It is 1922, the war is over, the Greeks have surrendered, and the brigade knows that if they encounter the enemy they will most likely be killed. As they battle dust storms, food shortages and a rash of thefts, we begin to learn of their ill-fated encounter in a small town earlier in the war, and of some atrocities that took place there. Are the soldiers doomed to suffer for their crimes, is there some malevolent force at play, or is their suffering simply the misfortunes of war?

"Eastwards: not too long ago that had been the direction of their advance. For more than two years the towns of the Asia Minor heartland had surrendered to the Expeditionary Corps one after another...Enough of such thoughts, Brigadier Nestor suddenly reprimanded himself. He put his hand in his breast pocket to retrieve his compass, instructed his orderly which direction to follow and at last gave the signal to march.
Slowly the column started: another day of blindfolded marching was beginning. Brigadier Nestor's lorry led the way, followed by the vehicles carrying the wounded, othes with ammunition and food and those loaded with water. Behind the motorcade the soldiers walked in silence, at a funerary pace that had also something of the unsteadiness of a drunk returning home."

[Liam Ostermann · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read most of this novel for the first time in 2015 but I didn't really get to grips with it for another two years but, when I did, I was overwhelmed by the subtleties and layered nature of the stories told. I think this novel will make a greater impression if you have some knowledge of what happened to Greek Asia Minor in the aftermath of WWI. It is a story of horrors, but it is a story of horrors inflicted as well as suffered. This is not the tale as fictionalised in 'Middlesex' by Jeffrey Eugenides. But it is a tragedy of the death of a world that had existed for thousands of years (in fact the first two thirds of the 20th century was a disasterous time for the Greek Mediterranean diaspora culminating with their expulsion from Alexandria and Egypt following the overthrow of king Farouk. After that Greeks were more-or-less confined to their nation state).

This novel is a powerful tale and a very moving one.

[Enrique · Rating 3 out of 5]

La història resulta atractiva y consigue engancharte. Sin embargo, los conflictos carecen de profundidad y los personajes resultan un poco planos. Una novela sin mucho artificio y una extraña pretensión de profundidad que es solo aparente.

[Kostas Terzanidis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Μετά από τόσα αριστουργήματα για τη Μικρασιατική καταστροφή (Βενέζης, Δούκας, Σωτηρίου) άλλο ένα μυθιστόρημα; Τολμηρό εγχείρημα... Κι όμως, σύγχρονο, λυρικό, βαθιά ανθρωπιστικό, με κινηματογραφικούς χαρακτήρες και με στοιχεία θρίλερ! Το επίσης εντυπωσιακό είναι ότι ο συγγραφέας γράφει πρώτα στα αγγλικά (ζει στο Λονδίνο).

[John Boyages · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book. I discovered this author from an "easy read" section of the Oxford Library and after liking the convent so much, I decided to try one of his earlier books. Read it in about a day.
Good story line, links to history (Greek-Turkish conflict).

It is Karnezis's first novel which takes place in 1922, after the Greek army's three-year "expedition" into Asia Minor abruptly ends.A Greek brigade under the command of a morphine-addicted old brigadier is retreating in disarray across the desert. Hopelessly lost, the tattered band marches in circles until it finds an isolated village which takes them on board. The story touches on some of the different forces at the time including a communist traitor among's their rank, Greek mythology, and the "affairs" of the various towns-people including the Mayor. Throw in a priest who is haunted by his past, a massacre and a dog called Caleb and its a fun great read.

[Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall, this book was an interesting dive into a culture and time that I knew nothing about. I found myself in the hot geography of Asia Minor with the retreating Greek Army. The story itself was enjoyable, but his use of the language was what I found most appealing. Statements like "Aging was not a stairway but a landslide - A period of corporeal stability followed by a sudden subsidence." and "Anywhere else such silence would be unnatural for such a large gathering - it was the curfew of the heat."

I was there with them. Overall, a good read.

[Lydia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book grabbed me right away, which was surprising since I expected to be put off by the subject matter. But the characters in their exasperating yet somehow endearing near-lunacy captured my imagination and sympathy. Among other things, it explores issues of loss, confusion and ethics in times of war, but it applies to the everyday life most of us are lucky enough to live outside of war as well. Delightfully written.

[Irwan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A novel with a feeling of a short story. The setting and the characters are well written such that I could immerse myself in the realm of the story. The plot is quite unpredictable - I didn't know where the story was going - and ended up quite absurdly like those literature with existentialism flavor.

I tried not to read too much into the story and just "accept" it as it is. Although, it did indeed touch on themes like absurd realities of war, morality, and patriotism.

[Moureco · Rating 4 out of 5]

O primeiro livro de Panos Karnezis que li. Muito engraçado, algo de mítico nesta memória da guerra motivada por um desejo de uma Grande Grécia que se seguiu à I Guerra Mundial. E que redundou numa Grande Desgraça grega, com Ermirna completamente incendiada (por exemplo) e migrações em massa de gregos e turcos. Ressentimentos que duram até hoje. Um livro muito interessante, a ler.

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well-written novel that takes place during the Greek-Turkish war that followed WWI, and follows a drug-addicted Greek general's forces as they retreat toward the coast. Bleak.

I was greatly annoyed, though, by the decision [by the author?/by editors?] to footnote and explain all of the allusions to Classical mythology and history.

[Ivano Lugiai · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bello, divertente e istruttivo.

[Eamonn · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting read, an interesting setting. Definitely a refreshing change of pace.

[Jonathan Gruber · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent historical fiction. Very rich characters, terrific writing, great setting. Plot is somewhat thin - more really of just a character study. But a great read.

[Jen Von Ghoul · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has a Jonathan Safran Foer, Everything is illuminated, feel to it. (Minus the transparent cleverness)

[Comanu Florin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Forta descrierii e puternica la Karnezis, dar forta naratiunii abia palpaie in cartea lui. Gasesc asta o consecinta a personajelor prea conforme, extrase parca dintr -o galerie afisata pe peretii liceelor provinciale. Primarul e combinator, profesorul dezamagit, generalul obosit, curva nostalgica, gradinarul cocosat. Fiecare are tuse distinctive, fiecare e de trecut cu vederea. Preotul care fura si seful de stat major comunist sunt singurii oameni care-ti spun mai mult decat banalitatile la care te astepti, dar ele plutesc intr-un banc de vietuitoare amorfe.
Pentru ca mai toti oamenii cartii sunt manechine de plastic, lipiciul nu se produce, chiar daca simti furtuna de praf in dinti, mirosul canalizarii si vantul din biserica abandonata.
Karnezis isi cauta realismul magic, fara sa gaseasca iesirea din Labirint, iar daca va continua in acelasi stil, nu sunt convins ca o va gasi vreodata.
In schimb, o faza ca aceea in care preotul e intrebat daca nu cumpara o Evanghelie, dupa ce face o apologie a credintei, iar apoi fura sabia generalului ca sa aiba ceva pentru troc, ar fi inceputul unor viitoare minunatii.
Over and out.

[Netanella · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bleak read with dark humor, this book is set in 1922 Anatolia as a contingent of the Greek army tries to find its way across the desert east to the sea and to Hellas, the motherland. Not quite the Anabasis, but the parallels are there. Set in the last years of the Megali Idea before the population exchanges that would occur soon after, it's hard not to feel sympathetic for the incredible cast of characters that Karnezis depicts in his book. Very well done, and recommended for fans of historical fiction.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this far more than I had been expecting. It’s a short novel but it packs a lot in. The descriptions are lush and atmospheric, and the storyline somehow encompasses numerous themes - among them treachery, faith (and its lack), cowardice, loss, repentance, the brutality of war - all wrapped up in a readable, succinct way. For me, it was an interesting, haunting, slightly different analysis of the aftermath of war.

[Ravi Singh · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was pleasantly surprised by this book. I took a chance on this, once again, because of the cover (I know I shouldn't do that!) and the mysterious description on the back, promising much...

...and it delivered. Very atmospheric, a nice interweaving story of Greek mythology in the modern day happenings of war, and men lost in the landscape of war.

Its only a short book, so go on, take a chance, you wont be disappointed.

[Eleftheria Chatzistamouli · Rating 2 out of 5]

Απο το βιβλιο μου αρεσε το τελος ολων των παράλληλων εξελισσόμενων ιστοριων παρα οι ιστορίες που υποθηκαν. Έλλειπε το αισθημα αγωνίας και η λεπτομερεστερη περιγραφη των συνθηκων που θα δημιουργούσε μεγαλύτερη εμπλοκη. Ενδιαφερον θεματολογια για στρατιωτικη/πολεμικη ιστορία και ιδιαζων ο πρωταγωνιστης.

[Stavroula · Rating 3 out of 5]

2,5-3 Ενώνει μαζί διάφορες ιστορίες ατόμων και διαφορετικές οπτικές κατά την διάρκεια οπισθοχώρησης μίας λειψής μεραρχίας στην εποχή της μικρασιατικής καταστροφής. οι διάλογοι είναι έξυπνοι αλλά η όλη πλοκή του έργου μου φαίνεται(από όσα έχω διαβάσει για την Μικρασιατική καταστροφή) ότι δεν αντιπροσωπεύει την πραγματικότητα. Δεν με κούρασε το διάβασμά του,μου κράτησε το ενδιαφέρον για την τύχη των ηρώων του αλλά βρήκα το τέλος κάπως γρήγορο και ωραιοποιημένο.

[Foukaras near Paris · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really good book. I had it on my shelf for a few years as the first pages did not give me a good feeling at first.
However, reading good reviews, I changed my mind and started again.
Soon, I got hypnotized with such amazing characters.
P. Karnezis has a gift.

[Lesley Webb · Rating 4 out of 5]

Compelling, well observed and imagined. Marvellous characters and imagery.
Very Graham Greene!

[Ioana Dumenica · Rating 2 out of 5]

După victoria otomanilor în Asia Mică, în 1919, o brigadă militară greacă încearcă să părăsească peninsula și să ajungă la mare, pentru a se întoarce acasă. A pierdut legătura cu cartierul general și se deplasează cu dificultate prin pustiul anatolian, labirintic.
Vulnerabilitatea și teama soldaților de a fi atacați de inamic sunt dublate de trauma și vina de a fi executat civili într-un orășel prin care trecuseră.
Printre militari sunt doi simpatizanți comuniști - caporalul, care distribuie manifeste comuniste în tabără, și șeful de stat major, maiorul Porfirio. Caporalul “avea însă o tăietură, mai adâncă și mai ascunsă: era de părere că războiul n-avea niciun sens. Dar era soldat și se supunea ordinelor.” Credea că “războiul era un demers imperialist și că guvernul era cu totul responsabil pentru dezordinea în care se găseau”. Intră în contact cu lucrări precum “Imperialismul: ultimul stadiu al capitalismului”, pe care “nu le-nțelegea el prea bine, dar în adâncul inimii știa că au dreptate.”
Odată ce se stabilesc într-un oraș, caporalul încearcă să dezerteze, dar patrula îi ia urma. Apelează la preot să-l ascundă în biserică, însă părintele are motivele sale pentru care refuză să-l ajute. Preotul era hoțul care furase diverse lucruri dispărute din tabără (zahăr, vin, mașina de ras a doctorului, cizmele generalului), pe care voia să le schimbe pe o Biblie și pe artefacte religioase. În fanatismul său, credea în izbăvirea brigăzii prin puterea lui Dumnezeu, dacă militarii se întorc către el, dar nu a acceptat să-l ascundă pe caporal și astfel l-a condamnat la moarte - nu l-a lăsat să intre în biserică atunci când îl urmărea patrula, de teamă să nu îi fie descoperite obiectele furate.
Corespondentul de război, alt fanatic, însă al culturii media, îl convinge pe general să-i execute pe cei doi trădători comuniști, pentru a obține știrea senzațională la care tot spera. Generalul, la rândul lui, încearcă prin acest reportaj să ascundă execuția anterioară a civililor, pe care o dorește departe de presă și de opinia publică.
Maiorul și caporalul sunt executați, iar brigada pornește apoi spre mare, îndrumată de orășenii care i se alătură pentru a părăsi Anatolia.

[Georgia Kapitsaki · Rating 3 out of 5]

Παρακολουθουμε την πορεια μιας ομαδας στρατιωτων που εχουν εγκλωβιστει στη Μικρασια μετα την ολοκληρωςη του πολεμου και προσπαθουν να κατευθυνθουν προς τα παραλια. Ωραιοι χαρακτηρες, πολλοι και διαφορετικοι, βλεπουμε πως βιωνουν αυτη την εμπειρια, στρατιωτες διαφορων βαθμων μεχρι και ο παπας Συμεων που τους συνοδευει. Ωραιες περιγραφες, αργη εξελιξη μεχρι ενα σημειο του βιβλιου ομως.