Read it if:
* You enjoy stories that blend emotional depth with a touch of mystery, especially those dealing with identity and the search for one’s roots
* You appreciate fluid, immersive writing that pulls you so deeply into the narrative you almost forget you’re reading a book
Don’t read it if:
* You prefer long, complex novels, because this one is very short and deliberately concise
* You expect a powerful, highly impactful ending, as the conclusion may feel less strong than anticipated
Why 4 stars:
- [ ] Theme: 3 (the aspect of the book that drew me in was, first of all, its subject matter and, despite its brevity, the excellent reviews it had received. It tells the story of a man who, quite unexpectedly, takes the wrong train and finds himself revisiting places from his childhood. In this unplanned journey, he embarks on a search for answers he hadn’t anticipated seeking)
- [ ] Plot: 3 (it is a dramatic novel with a touch of mystery, and despite its brevity, it is excellent. My only regret lies in the ending, which I found less impactful than I had expected)
- [ ] Characters: 4 (the main character is a truly charming figure, endearing in his awkwardness, honest in his nature, and touching in his quest and sensitivity)
- [ ] Fun/adventure/surprise: 4 (the book entertained me. The protagonist takes the wrong train and unexpectedly finds himself near the places of his childhood. When a stranger—by sheer chance—tells him he should finally resolve an old, unresolved matter, he decides to return to those familiar landscapes. From there, he behaves a little shameless: he ends up in the hotel where his mother once met his father, where they spent a single, reckless night together before parting ways forever. He boldly asks the hotel manager to see the old guest registers in hopes of discovering his father’s identity, and, remarkably, he succeeds. From the records he even obtains an address—an old one, of course—and sets off in search of the only clue he has. I found this narrative device delightful, and despite the novel’s brevity, it genuinely surprised me. There is even a subtle thread of adventure running through it, as his journey eventually leads him into France)
- [ ] Profoundness: 4 (the novel is profound, for it speaks of identity and the search for one’s father. Yet this quest is merely a pretext: in seeking his father, the protagonist is ultimately seeking himself)
- [ ] Length of the book: 4 (the book is very short, and therefore accessible to everyone)
- [ ] Language and style of writing: 4 (the writing is excellent—so fluid and effortless that I found myself completely immersed in the protagonist’s story, almost as if it were real. I even forgot I was reading a book, and to me, that is a remarkable quality)
Favorite part
- [ ] The part that moved me most, on an emotional level, is when he meets his father’s friend and finally hears someone speak about what his father was really like. Yet, from a narrative and intellectual standpoint, what impressed me most is the moment he arrives at the Negresco and discovers that all the postcards he had sent—addressed to no one, but symbolically meant for his father—had in fact been sent to the hotel itself, in the hope that his father might still be there. Finding them all pinned to the walls of a secret room where the old registers are kept, carefully preserved by the hotel’s eccentric owner, was a revelation that struck me
Least favorite part
- [ ] The part I liked least was the ending, because discovering that the father had died—and that no further mystery remained—somewhat broke the emotional tension built up until that point. What affected me even more was the absence of any grave, with his ashes placed in an unmarked communal plot. And then the postcards blowing away in the wind… it all left me with an overwhelming sense of melancholy. I understand that these are truths, that they make sense within the story, yet they still saddened me and dissolved the sense of mystery and tension that had carried the narrative so far