The Invention of Exile

by Vanessa Manko

Through the unforgettable character of Austin Voronkov, Manko explores the little-known period in American history of the Palmer Raids and the far-reaching implications of exile and loss.

Austin Voronkov is many things. He is an engineer, an inventor, an immigrant from Russia to Bridgeport, Connecticut, in 1913, where he gets a job at a rifle factory. At the house where he rents a room, he falls in love with a woman named Julia, who becomes his wife and the mother of his three children. When Austin is wrongly accused of attending anarchist gatherings his limited grasp of English condemns him to his fate as a deportee, retreating with his new bride to his home in Russia, where he and his young family become embroiled in the Civil War and must flee once again, to Mexico.

While Julia and the children are eventually able to return to the U.S., Austin becomes indefinitely stranded in Mexico City because of the black mark on his record. He keeps a daily correspondence with Julia, as they each exchange their hopes and fears for the future, and as they struggle to remain a family across a distance of two countries. Austin becomes convinced that his engineering designs will be awarded patents, thereby paving the way for the government to approve his return and award his long sought-after American citizenship. At the same time he becomes convinced that an FBI agent is monitoring his every move, with the intent of blocking any possible return to the United States.

Austin and Julia's struggles build to crisis and heartrending resolution in this dazzling, sweeping debut. The novel is based in part on Vanessa Manko's family history and the life of a grandfather she never knew. Manko used this history as a jumping off point for the novel, which focuses on borders between the past and present, sanity and madness, while the very real U.S-Mexico border looms. The novel also explores how loss reshapes and transforms lives. It is a deeply moving testament to the enduring power of family and the meaning of home.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, 20th Century, Novels, Adult Fiction, Book Club, Russia

304 pages, Hardcover

First published March 7, 2014

About the author

Vanessa Manko earned her MFA in Creative Writing from Hunter College where she received a Hertog Fellowship. She earned a BA in English Literature from the University of Connecticut and an MA from the New York University’s Gallatin School of Individualized Study. In addition to fiction, she writes about dance. She lives in Brooklyn, New York.

Reviews

[Melissa Crytzer Fry · Rating 4 out of 5]

**3.5 stars**

Vanessa Manko is, indeed, a talented new author. I found myself savoring many passages, even though the frequent sentence-fragment style was at first a bit difficult: “He sips his tequila from the thick, hand-blown shot glass. Its lip of indigo blue is curved, soothing. A spiky astringency. Next, warmth. Voices rise, then soften. He remembers Julia and the children on the day of parting …” (I grew accustomed to this style, eventually, and even realized it created an appropriate detached mood, as well as pitch-perfect characterization.)

This heartbreaking story is about Austin, a man separated from his wife and children -- a man who is essentially without a country, through his deportation from the US back to his homeland of Russia. The deportation is the result of a language barrier (and a love of engineering and science) that places an “Anarchist” black mark on his record. He then flees with his wife and children from Russia to Mexico as a result of Russian Civil War (no spoilers here – this is in the book’s description). And then, his family is admitted back to the US. But he is not. He believes his inventions will gain him re-entry to the US.

The book’s theme – “paper is stronger than one imagines” – really hit home, especially since I live in Arizona, a state with notable immigration challenges. Papers. Having papers that prove allegiance to a country. NOT having them. What does it mean? Who are you without them? What kind of life is it to live in constant fear of being “kicked out”? The book subtly brought those questions to mind. It is a story about boundaries and borders and the limits of human endurance.

I was most impressed with the incredible job Manko did of portraying the emotional boundaries of humans. How much can we accept and endure before cracking? Once we’ve reached a certain point in a downward trajectory, can we go back – can we find happiness?

Despite my admiration (and the apparent admiration of heavy-hitting authors such as Colum McCann and Siri Hustvedt, who blurb the book – as well as author Salman Rushdie, who wrote an intro accolade on the Advance Reading Copy I won from First Reads -- something he says he has never before done), I struggled with the pace of this book. And yet it’s a struggle I’m glad I pushed through.

And in hindsight I wonder if the author purposely slowed the pace of the first 100 pages – forcing the reader to experience the same type of struggle … the same need for patience that was necessary of the main character, Austin. If this was, indeed, her intent, it’s nothing short of brilliant. The story picked up at the 100-page mark, then slowed again until page 200 when it really took off.

And the title ... It's such an excellent title. Once you've read the book, you'll understand just why it's perfect.

While nonlinear moving timelines generally present no challenges to me, in this book, they didn’t quite work for me. I also felt a deep need to “know” the wife, Julia, better to make the necessary emotional connections that would have bumped this to a 4 or 5. That said, I was so moved by the latter portion of Austin’s story that I awoke from sleep multiple times, worried about him. That, I believe, is the true mark of a book’s power: did it get under your skin? Apparently … it did.

In the end, if you are a fan of literary fiction that jostles about in time and setting (and even character), and you aren’t driven by high-stakes plots, this could be the book for you. I know I will be thinking about it for a long time to come.

[Suzanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book from Penguin Publishers as an early reader review copy. The book was excellent and almost written like poetry or song lyrics, in that both strong emotions and powerful situations were telegraphed through stark, short bursts of text. On the surface, this is a story of a Russian immigrant deported from the U.S. as a result of language barriers and Soviet scares of the 1920s, and the seemingly cruel path his life took as a result of that single act. But that isn't really what happened, or at least, that's not what singularly shaped his life. The exile of the book's title has more to do with how the main character finds himself removed from everything and everyone in the world, and how that place of exile defines him. During the time period of this story, 1920- 1948, most of the world experienced some form of dislocation but this main character in many ways excelled in his isolation and exile. The author does a remarkable job of exploring this story as fiction, although in notes at the end she references that it has some basis in a real story. I am grateful for her tenacity in writing the book. I loved it!

[Shreela Sen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book about how war & political upheaval destroys lives of individuals, & tortures them into distorted beings.
It is strange how, after being uprooted & torn apart from his family, the WWII simply passes him by, he never feels the effects in Mexico City…
The language is poetic & ornamental, & there is a lot of description of the surroundings, the feels of the entire environment. I really enjoyed this, as the descriptions are quite evocative & actually create that “atmosphere”. This is the true enjoyment of reading, as different from watching a movie/series… the author projects straight into your mind with her words.
The book is definitely slow moving, & little happens. But that is the point of the book… endless wait, & the pain of it.
There is no suspense in the book, so this is not a spoiler.
In places, the book is really touching, esp. in the lesser, more dilute griefs, that one can personally relate to… the stuffy emptiness of weekends without friends or family… the compound pain of pretending to be having a good time with people who do not matter - missing those who matter, not wanting to be there, but forcing oneself, aware of the pretence, & of the fact that one does not matter to those people either…
I am always for plot, & this is a character-driven book.
It is mainly about one man’s struggle as he has lost country & identity, & finally, family.
Persecuted in two countries & once Imprisoned, with myriad harrowing experiences & been tossed about in poverty from location to location, mistrusted by other poor people who are themselves persecuted, devoid of friends & of means to pursue any recreation, depressed & terrified, Austin descends into paranoia & delusions. It gets a little boring in these parts, but the monotony is broken by either a flashback or someone making contact with him & thus his interaction with them. Moving back and forth in the storyline works well for this book.
The book also talks about his children & his wife, though in less pages, but just as deeply.
Through the eyes of others, we come to know how aged Austin has become, how unsteady on his feet… though he must only be about 48… & the narrator , describing in such details the circumstances & sometimes his physical appearance, never mentioned this.
The inexplicable, inexpressible predicament of the daughter, the complex inner world in which she is working hard to fit her both parents, & even their past, which she has never witnessed firsthand… protecting each parent from the pain of the other, & hopefully the pain of his/her own… witnessing the suffering of the innocent…
What I like about this book is the allusion to the aztec & apache past, though just a few words, whenever the colonial past of the city of Mexico comes in. This is mostly while mentioning buildings. I enjoy the place descriptions a lot, it gives every place its own soul, whether it is a pleasant or a trying situation for the protagonists… the words used to describe the hopeless & taxing situation of the desert turn the desert into a cruel fairyland in Manko’s words… the cruel nature is not lost, but the stark beauty is imprinted…
The book ended at a point where it was logical for such a book… But I would have liked to know a little further…

[Melinda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Austin Voronkov is many things. He is an engineer, an inventor, an immigrant from Russia to Bridgeport, Connecticut, in 1913, where he gets a job at a rifle factory. At the house where he rents a room, he falls in love with a woman named Julia, who becomes his wife and the mother to his three children. When Austin is wrongly accused of attending anarchist gatherings his limited grasp of English condemns him to his fate as a deportee, retreating with his new bride to his home in Russia, where he and his young family become embroiled in the Civil War and must flee once again, to Mexico.

The Invention of Exile deals with themes of labeling, exile and invention and explores how loss reshapes and transforms lives, invention. An absolutely wonderful read.

I loved the narrative, so many books remake the same basic plot only to change a few characters or to add minor differences, after a while they all run together not really being able to differentiate between each work. A reader can only tolerate so many love triangles, infidelity, who killed who, imaginary significant other before boredom and mundane sets in. The Invention of Exile is unique and addresses a very interesting premise, also the themes are quite moving.

Manko clearly possesses a songlike graceful literary prose which adds to the beauty and depth of the narrative. She also deserves credit regarding strong character development, the reader learns all about Austin, subtly and intimately both emotionally and mentally.

About 20 pages into The Invention of Exile , I asked myself the question What would I do if I were separated from my family, living in different countries all because I was incorrectly accused of something I was innocent of, I was essentially 'labeled' thus creating serious ramifications? How would I deal with the absence, the emptiness and loneliness? All the years lost? Not knowing if I will ever be together with my family only the thread of hope remains.

Austin is a man desperate, desperate to be reunited with his family, desperate to call a country home. He's in more than exile, the man is in limbo floating with nowhere to fall softly. Loneliness is his constant companion, yearning always a reminder and hope always present. Determination, patience - Austin's weapons along with hope to once again reunite and embrace his family.

"Separation comes quite suddenly. One day you are as close as two people can be. The next, a line is drawn and you stand on opposite sides, regarding each other across an expanse that is broken and unknown."

Stinging the reader most is the family love never faltered. All the years apart, the family still longing and hoping to see and be with their father. Julia and the children were in a different type of exile - an exile of the heart which is even more difficult to deal with then distance. The years dragged on but love never faded.

"She was learning the possibility of, the power of contradiction; one could have a fundamental connection - father, daughter - but still be two mere strangers."

It is an immensely touching story of family, history, and the meaning of home. Worth your time and attention.

Penguin Group provided a copy in exchange for an honest review

[Renny · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Invention of Exile by Vanessa Manko is a rich novel full of symbolism and meaning that I would recommend for those who enjoy literary fiction without traditional narrative plots. The book is set in the history of US/Russian immigration and deportations of the 1920s-1940s but is ultimately not about narrating the history the events or of the characters lives but more about the internal emotion and mental state caused by unjust and uncontrollable forces of governments, bureaucracy and life.

I read this book in a single sitting as I was so caught up in wanting to know how the protagonist’s, Austin Voronkov, story would evolve. The emotionally compelling novel had me invested from the start with feelings of anger, sadness and loss although it took me several pages to get used to Manko’s style and tone. The description of events often felt fleeting like I was trying to capture fleeting old memories - the feelings remain but the pieces of what happened remain unclear. While at times this style could be poetic, at others times it was frustrating as I became uncertain if any action would occur - or if any of the events were real. The style did invoke a sense of Austin’s state of mind but it left most of the narrative action up to your imagination. Ultimately this is a book I greatly appreciated rather than fell in love with or simply enjoyed.

I received this book as a free ARC through Penguin's First to Read program

[Brayden Raymond · Rating 4 out of 5]

Y'know I think this deserves 4 stars on here even if I think it's more of a 3.5 kind of story but it's certainly reaching for 4 in my mind and was a quick and easy read. It's quite heartwarming and I think the slow reveal of Austin as an unreliable narrator is what makes the story more heartbreaking and touching. Once his children arrive and we see the mental state that Austin is in, which seems like PTSD and Schizophrenia, his clear minded decisions no longer seem so and we realize as readers why he has been pursuing a dead end option for so many years.

The ending was satisfying though I would have liked just a bit more of a reunion and some of the other revelations throughout were well navigated though at times the non chronological choice could have been balanced a bit better with more time spent pre 1948.

[Andrew Joseph · Rating 1 out of 5]

I just did not connect with this book. Manko begins with a fascinating context, but her thematic priorities quickly devolve into a cliche and archetypal narrative. The Invention of Exile would clearly benefit from a more human narrative style—the text is full of mechanical, sequential listing, melodramatic prose, and an obsession with the word “periphery.” Ultimately, its morally grey characters bleed into a shallow, debilitating homogeneity. It is this crushing sameness that renders the novel as mere words on a page: disjunct, shallow, and incapable of churning out any sense of a vivid, believable world.

[Daniel Kukwa · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting novel, covering ground similar to the themes found in places like Warren Beatty's movie "Reds", with extra familial complications. While I appreciate novelty and unique approaches, the pacing of this novel feels very odd to me. Too much time seems concentrated in Mexico, and not enough time in the formative experiences of the family in exile, which seem to flash by in seconds. It might results in a longer novel, but I would like a more in-depth & satisfying examination of those expatriate wanderings.

[Rebecca · Rating 2 out of 5]

*I won this book from a First Reads giveaway* (my version was only 291 pages)

**Spoilers ahead**

Although I enjoyed the first-person narrative of the book, I was bored with the majority of this work. There were moments that were descriptive and well written that were followed by passages that were so long and drawn-out, as if the writer was just trying to use up space on the page.

I was intrigued by the overall story, but I felt that it stopped to abruptly. For instance, what happens once he gets back to CT and gets to see his wife Julia for the first time in 14 years? Am I, as a reader, supposed to feel release after he has crossed the border illegally? Also, I am confused about whether the character of Jake was even real. It is never made crystal clear as to whether he was a figment of Austin's imagination and weary mind or if he was a real person.

All in all, I spent more time forcing myself to read this book than impatiently waiting to get back to it. Even right at the end, when I only had 10 or so pages left, I grimaced as I picked it up to finish it. I hate giving poor reviews, but this book isn't exciting. However, that's not to say that others wouldn't enjoy it. It is a sad and lovely story and while I didn't like the written words so much, the concept was moving.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a strange, delicately written book about potentialities and the consequences of behaving. After being unjustly labeled an anarchist and deported from the United States, engineer Austin Voronkov is isolated in Mexico as he attempts to reunite with his family on the other side of the border. While the border is extremely close (at times mere steps away), Austin is determined to gain entry to the U.S. through the proper official channels, and a quest through paperwork and official government offices begins. Any day could be the day when the right appeal is approved, the right patent accepted, the right form stamped. What sounds like tedium raises all sorts of questions -- at what point does bureaucracy become insanity, and at what point are you exiling yourself? How might a relationship, a career, a life be different if you had made a single different choice? Austin teeters on the edge of keeping up the hope that he will be reunited with his family and building a life for himself in Mexico, and the choice is further tormented by idyllic family memories and a sinister government agent who may or may not be stalking him. It is an interesting and promising debut, and I can't wait to see more from the author.

[Alta]

Austin Voronkov, the protagonist of The Invention of Exile, is a Russian-born man who, in 1920, after seven years of law-abiding life in the United States, is deported back to the Soviet Union under the false accusation of anarchism. In love with Julia, one of his landlady’s daughters, Austin marries her before being deported, and she agrees to come with him.

The Invention of Exile is based on the story of Vanessa Manko’s grandfather, who, like Austin, lived in Mexico for many years without being allowed to return to the United States. Manko’s father had been born in Mexico and had grown up without a father. The author herself never met this grandfather who ended up dying in Mexico. An intelligent, subtle and well written novel, The Invention of Exile proves how absurd laws, grotesque bureaucracies and pointless boundaries can destroy innocent lives.

See my full review in BookBrowse:
https://www.bookbrowse.com/mag/review...

[Tuck · Rating 2 out of 5]

super hot tipped, and seemingly right in line with my particular interests of early 20th cent geopolitics and world movement(s)
this rather dull and lugubrious tale of russian usa immigrant accused of anarchy, goes back to russia, to land plop in middle of the revolution and eventually escapes THAT mess to mexico where his statelessness keeps him in suffering limbo. i mean, what's not to like right?!
but no

[Alannah · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received this as a first reads win. A fellow reviewer described this as a book about the consequences of behaving, a very apt description. Some nice use of imagery; I wasn't sure if the sentence fragments were a result of me receiving a pre-pub copy. Very slow plot, but it was interesting how the novel jumped around in time to describe different decades in Austen's life. There was more buildup (which was pretty slow/uneventful) than there was climax/denouement.

[Saleh MoonWalker · Rating 3 out of 5]

Onvan : The Invention of Exile - Nevisande : Vanessa Manko - ISBN : 1594205884 - ISBN13 : 9781594205880 - Dar 304 Safhe - Saal e Chap : 2014

[Rawles · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very different writing style here - broken, gauzy, flowing.....not much dialogue but I think that is on purpose - really suits the story. The story is Austin's - a Russian immigrant to the US who because of a language misunderstanding, ends up deported to Russia, then flees to Mexico, and begins the process of trying to legally enter the US. His American wife takes their three children home to wait for him.

Begin Heartbreak.

This was a bit too depressing for me this summer - lots of themes here including family, loss, mental breaks, and lots of stubbornness! Because Manko based this story on the true story of her grandfather, there is a certain poignancy as well. But I was bored. I skimmed. Nothing much happened. Which, as another reviewer pointed out, might be just exactly what the author was going for in atmosphere.

I appreciated that Austin was so determined to enter the country legally, and was dogged in his efforts to make the Consulate hear him. My husband is foreign as well (citizen now), and we went through all the hoops to get him into the US legally. But this is 1934 and things are different. Reds are the enemy; they will not listen to Austin. So he keeps up with his inventions, his drafts, his brilliance, just knowing that they will see how much his work will help the US so they have to let him in to be with his family.

Bless his heart.

I expected the ending to be tragic. Or at least hopeful. But I did not feel either of these things. I felt like I was missing the last chapter, it was that sudden. I found myself even WISHING for the tragic ending over that. Sigh. What I will say is that the title makes a lot more sense at the end. That, at least, was brilliant. I think this author is worth watching as well.

[Victoria Rodríguez · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked this story but it also surprised me a lot. I felt afraid of living during this dangerous time. The main character is Austin Voronkov, he was born in Russia but from a very young age, he emigrated to the United States. He fell in love with Julia, a charming girl with whom he has decided to start a family. Austin is a very creative person who likes to invent objects that help society. One day Austin is wrongly accused of conspiring against the government, his crime is coming from Russia, which is now the Soviet Union. The FBI believes that Austin is collaborating on behalf of his native country. For this reason, he is deported. Austin arrives in Mexico City where he will try to apply for US citizenship, constantly going to the American embassy for this purpose, it will not be an easy task. I loved the author's description of Mexico City it was very accurate. The city was very different during this time, there were many migrants arriving from diverse countries. I loved Austin's determination to return to his family. A book worth reading.

[Arnie Kahn · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a beautifully written novel about a Russian immigrant who is exiled to Russia in 1920 for political reasons during the "red scare" of the 20th century. A man without a country, he moves with his family and then alone, from Russia to Turkey to France to Mexico City seeking a way to rejoin his family in America. The novel bogs down in places and it's difficult to understand the motives of his wife and children, since they are absent from most of the novel. definitely worth a read.

[Isaiah · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.75/5

This was a wonderful read. The story is so beautiful yet heart-wrenching, depicting a Russian man who is torn apart from his family because of a random misinterpretation of his activities during the Red Scare. The prose specifically related to his confusion of a position he was forced in was sad to read.

The portrayal of his paranoia is so real, especially at the end when he realizes it was all for naught.

[Kendall · Rating 1 out of 5]

Apparently the events of this book are drawn from the author's family history. What is probably a fascinating sentence or two of family lore doesn't come close to being enough to tease out into an entire novel of what amounts to "and then he spent two decades waiting to get back into the US to reunite with his wife and children."

[Stacey · Rating 3 out of 5]

I cried a few places. My heart was broken in seeing the struggles of Austin, his wife and his children. I can't imagine being separated from love ones for 14 years. This story is inspired by the author's relatives' story.

[Faizan · Rating 3 out of 5]

disappointed with the ending.. I really thought he will invent something to get out of exile.. but as the kids said.. it was all him stopping himself.. foolish.

Is Jack the black aeroplane in this one.. who know?

[Hanna Rose · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was kind of tedious to read in the beginning but I really loved it. The amount of love in it was absolutely moving.

[Jason Stokes · Rating 4 out of 5]

There aren't enough words to express how long this book will stick with you.

[Janice]

Poignant story of 20th century immigration from eastern Europe. Writing rich.

[Elisabeth · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars

[Elizabeth Tuttle · Rating 2 out of 5]

TLDR: Willy Loman gets deported.

[Katy Lovejoy · Rating 3 out of 5]

On a whole, disappointed with this haul from the library

[Nina O · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF. Story is interesting but moves extremely slow, with only one character to follow in the first third of the book.

[Justin Mann · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the story very much! It was an interesting look into one man's journey, trying to get back to his family.

[Julia Bruce · Rating 3 out of 5]

Its a lot. Good historical fiction of Russia/US polotics.