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The Unsettling Love-Hate Story of Bewildered Anatoly
“The Unsettling Love-Hate Story of Bewildered Anatoly” is a philosophical, psychological, essayistic novel that tells — in a non-linear fashion, using poetical impressions and philosophical digressions — the story of a man haunted and plagued by the mythologised image of an unrequited love from his past. The emphasis falls on the challenges and the fights the protagonist faces — in both emotional and social terms — while trying to cope with the accumulating bitterness of disillusion and the awareness of his inability to re-incorporate himself into society, further complicated by his understanding that brokenness now constitutes a key aspect of his personality.
The leitmotif of the novel is ‘insane love.’ However, the book doesn't confine itself to that topic alone but also seeks to explore — by means of speculation — various other topics that arguably correspond with it, such as the mechanisms of consciousness and faith, the concept of free will and the choice between Good and Evil. It poses a lot of existential questions — respectively, proposes a lot of answers — along the line: Is it possible that even the truest and most intense love can be rejected? – What do ‘true’ and ‘intense’ mean, when speaking of ‘insane love’? – What are the love-related aspects of controversy between the sacred and the profane, the good and the evil, the perfect and the imperfect, the transient and the eternal? – What can this controversy cause to the tormented soul of the madly in love? – Where does the adorable end and where does the abhorable begin on the way to the extreme; is there a prelude; how ‘spacious’ is the space in between? – Is expression possible at all if one’s experience goes beyond the conveyable by conventional means?
The work is widely experimental, even language- and style-wise. While some vulgarisms can also be found in its course, its language generally switches back and forth between extensively abstract and purely poetical; influence from classical Arabic literary style is also notably present.
The storyline is split into two: external and internal. The external storyline, which is the more narrative of both, is reduced to the depiction of one single incident involving the protagonist, and serves as a formal frame in which the internal storyline is enclosed.
Structure-wise, the novel is designed as a building that symbolises the cycle of catharsis or, alternatively, the cycle of remission and relapse: After a short introduction, the reader is invited to pass through seven antechambers, enter a chamber, make seven steps, and exit.
Even though the book focuses on extreme contrast, and doesn’t spare means in conveying the impression of full-fledged controversy, it doesn’t seek to be shocking or provocative, but gently mind-twisting and -broadening. It employs a peculiar blend of rational discourse and irrational detours from it, but after all, as it says, in the words of its main hero: “Both things, rationality and irrationality, exist in the human being to form something like a voltaic arc in which his or her ideas about the world are born and — which is even more essential — tried for veracity.”
The leitmotif of the novel is ‘insane love.’ However, the book doesn't confine itself to that topic alone but also seeks to explore — by means of speculation — various other topics that arguably correspond with it, such as the mechanisms of consciousness and faith, the concept of free will and the choice between Good and Evil. It poses a lot of existential questions — respectively, proposes a lot of answers — along the line: Is it possible that even the truest and most intense love can be rejected? – What do ‘true’ and ‘intense’ mean, when speaking of ‘insane love’? – What are the love-related aspects of controversy between the sacred and the profane, the good and the evil, the perfect and the imperfect, the transient and the eternal? – What can this controversy cause to the tormented soul of the madly in love? – Where does the adorable end and where does the abhorable begin on the way to the extreme; is there a prelude; how ‘spacious’ is the space in between? – Is expression possible at all if one’s experience goes beyond the conveyable by conventional means?
The work is widely experimental, even language- and style-wise. While some vulgarisms can also be found in its course, its language generally switches back and forth between extensively abstract and purely poetical; influence from classical Arabic literary style is also notably present.
The storyline is split into two: external and internal. The external storyline, which is the more narrative of both, is reduced to the depiction of one single incident involving the protagonist, and serves as a formal frame in which the internal storyline is enclosed.
Structure-wise, the novel is designed as a building that symbolises the cycle of catharsis or, alternatively, the cycle of remission and relapse: After a short introduction, the reader is invited to pass through seven antechambers, enter a chamber, make seven steps, and exit.
Even though the book focuses on extreme contrast, and doesn’t spare means in conveying the impression of full-fledged controversy, it doesn’t seek to be shocking or provocative, but gently mind-twisting and -broadening. It employs a peculiar blend of rational discourse and irrational detours from it, but after all, as it says, in the words of its main hero: “Both things, rationality and irrationality, exist in the human being to form something like a voltaic arc in which his or her ideas about the world are born and — which is even more essential — tried for veracity.”
159 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 24, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
January 14, 2016
Not too many young Bulgarian authors dare to publish their books in English and that's the first thing that drew my attention towards Mr Chikakchiev's novel. There are several other but I'll keep them secret for now.
Two important facts: as stated on the cover, the story is unsettling and philosophical. One cannot argue about that and one should keep it in mind before even attempting to start reading.
Pros: the book is short and can be read within 2-3 hours, the author writes from his personal experience and the story feels honest and real
Cons: occasional profanities, lots of philosophical questions scattered throughout the pages (not necessarily a bad approach but somewhat wears me down)
I enjoyed reading this intellectual novel and I'm looking forward to reading more from the author.
Two important facts: as stated on the cover, the story is unsettling and philosophical. One cannot argue about that and one should keep it in mind before even attempting to start reading.
Pros: the book is short and can be read within 2-3 hours, the author writes from his personal experience and the story feels honest and real
Cons: occasional profanities, lots of philosophical questions scattered throughout the pages (not necessarily a bad approach but somewhat wears me down)
I enjoyed reading this intellectual novel and I'm looking forward to reading more from the author.
December 22, 2016
The author is very insightful in his philosophy.
Especially valuable are the rational explanations of irrational phenomena provided in the process of building up the story's main character.
Congratulations on this descent into the Mariana Trench of a male's mind sick with unrequited love.
Especially valuable are the rational explanations of irrational phenomena provided in the process of building up the story's main character.
Congratulations on this descent into the Mariana Trench of a male's mind sick with unrequited love.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews