What do you think?
Rate this book
Last Impressions
How can you say goodbye forever when you've left an important secret unspoken?
"I'll tell you what I'm going to do," Zoltan said. "When I die, I'll leave my luck to you."
Zoltan Beck is dying. His devoted but long-suffering sons, Ben and Frank, are trying to prepare themselves and their families for Zoltan's eventual departure...but they can't quite bring themselves to believe that the end is really at hand, and neither can Zoltan himself. The head of a family marked by war and tragedy for decades, he "can't stand to be in a room with a miserable person" and has done his best to keep the pain of his refugee past from his beloved children. But as he faces the end of his life, he discovers a heartbreaking secret from the War that will ultimately bring the family together--or irrevocably disrupt it. Set in both mid-20th century Hungary and contemporary Toronto, this is a deeply moving novel that revels in the energy of its extraordinary characters. It is the story of lost love and newfound connections, of a father and his sons desperately reaching out to bridge an ever-widening gap...even as their time together ebbs away.
"I'll tell you what I'm going to do," Zoltan said. "When I die, I'll leave my luck to you."
Zoltan Beck is dying. His devoted but long-suffering sons, Ben and Frank, are trying to prepare themselves and their families for Zoltan's eventual departure...but they can't quite bring themselves to believe that the end is really at hand, and neither can Zoltan himself. The head of a family marked by war and tragedy for decades, he "can't stand to be in a room with a miserable person" and has done his best to keep the pain of his refugee past from his beloved children. But as he faces the end of his life, he discovers a heartbreaking secret from the War that will ultimately bring the family together--or irrevocably disrupt it. Set in both mid-20th century Hungary and contemporary Toronto, this is a deeply moving novel that revels in the energy of its extraordinary characters. It is the story of lost love and newfound connections, of a father and his sons desperately reaching out to bridge an ever-widening gap...even as their time together ebbs away.
320 pages, Paperback
First published March 3, 2020
8 people are currently reading
1652 people want to read
About the author
Joseph Kertes
10 books61 followersJoseph Kertes was born in Hungary (1951) but escaped with his family to Canada after the revolution of 1956.
He studied English at York University and the University of Toronto, where he was encouraged in his writing by Irving Layton and Marshall McLuhan.
Kertes founded Humber College's distinguished creative writing and comedy programs. He is currently Humber's Dean of Creative and Performing Arts and is a recipient of numerous awards for teaching and innovation.
His first novel, Winter Tulips, won the Stephen Leacock Award for Humour. Boardwalk, his second novel, and two children's books, The Gift and The Red Corduroy Shirt, met with critical acclaim.
His novel, Gratitude, won a Canadian National Jewish Book Award and the U.S. National Jewish Book Award for Fiction. Kertes has also been a finalist for a National Magazine Award and the CBC Literary Award.
His latest novel, The Afterlife of Stars, has been described by Anne Michaels as “unforgettable and deeply moving,” and by Richard Bausch as “brilliant, radiant.”
He studied English at York University and the University of Toronto, where he was encouraged in his writing by Irving Layton and Marshall McLuhan.
Kertes founded Humber College's distinguished creative writing and comedy programs. He is currently Humber's Dean of Creative and Performing Arts and is a recipient of numerous awards for teaching and innovation.
His first novel, Winter Tulips, won the Stephen Leacock Award for Humour. Boardwalk, his second novel, and two children's books, The Gift and The Red Corduroy Shirt, met with critical acclaim.
His novel, Gratitude, won a Canadian National Jewish Book Award and the U.S. National Jewish Book Award for Fiction. Kertes has also been a finalist for a National Magazine Award and the CBC Literary Award.
His latest novel, The Afterlife of Stars, has been described by Anne Michaels as “unforgettable and deeply moving,” and by Richard Bausch as “brilliant, radiant.”
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
October 3, 2019
This story focuses on human relations. The historical background is just a shadow. I would not categorize this book under history.
It alternates between modern time and WWII, exactly what transpired at Hernyo Camp (which historically is not even listed as Nazi concentration camp, unless it’s under a different name).
I struggled to connect with any of the modern day characters or events. The talk of colonoscopy appointment and what transpired or a restaurant outing did not keep my interest.
When the story alternates back in time to the outbreak of WWII, the event of boys encountering men in uniforms feels very fake.
Later, towards the end of the war, when Zoltan is 21 and his brother 22, as Hungarian Jews they were informed that they would be sent to a labor camp in Transylvania, where they would make munitions. They were able to arrange passage to Palestine. But they got transported to Hernyo Camp. – This part between them arranging passage and being transported to camp jumps very quickly from one scene to another. I had to reread it to make sure I didn’t miss anything. This part could be a bit clearer.
I was able to connect with the past story, but not the present one. I wished the characters and the historical events were more explored. The prose is strikingly simple and at times doesn’t have a good flow. Sometimes it is overburden with dialogue, which doesn’t move the story forward.
If light historical background with contemporary story is something you like to read, then don’t let this review deter your decision.
@FB/BestHistoricalFiction
It alternates between modern time and WWII, exactly what transpired at Hernyo Camp (which historically is not even listed as Nazi concentration camp, unless it’s under a different name).
I struggled to connect with any of the modern day characters or events. The talk of colonoscopy appointment and what transpired or a restaurant outing did not keep my interest.
When the story alternates back in time to the outbreak of WWII, the event of boys encountering men in uniforms feels very fake.
Later, towards the end of the war, when Zoltan is 21 and his brother 22, as Hungarian Jews they were informed that they would be sent to a labor camp in Transylvania, where they would make munitions. They were able to arrange passage to Palestine. But they got transported to Hernyo Camp. – This part between them arranging passage and being transported to camp jumps very quickly from one scene to another. I had to reread it to make sure I didn’t miss anything. This part could be a bit clearer.
I was able to connect with the past story, but not the present one. I wished the characters and the historical events were more explored. The prose is strikingly simple and at times doesn’t have a good flow. Sometimes it is overburden with dialogue, which doesn’t move the story forward.
If light historical background with contemporary story is something you like to read, then don’t let this review deter your decision.
@FB/BestHistoricalFiction
January 7, 2022
Zoltan felt certain now that history had dropped him off in the wrong place, that there was no right place for his feet to carry him....p171
Joseph Kerties exquisite sense of timing and wonderfully restrained lush writing kept me reading when it became apparent that this is a tribute to another crotchety old man. Well, I would be too, crotchety if forced to act against my will in my best interests; if I had lost the people I loved and been hounded out of my home.
Why do people assume that everyone was the same and had the same impulses and desires? p270
JK does not spare Zoltan in his assessment. He is not especially warm as he acknowledges the monstrous ego of the man, an autocrat in his home, somewhat of a bigot, rude to servers, stubborn and unable to admit to errors in judgment. Yet he is loved by his family who rally around him in his last days.
What Zoltan couldn't see about himself was that, almost invariably, he was the one complicating matters. p190
You can't make sense of aching. It just is- it has its own impervious essence. p218
Joseph Kerties exquisite sense of timing and wonderfully restrained lush writing kept me reading when it became apparent that this is a tribute to another crotchety old man. Well, I would be too, crotchety if forced to act against my will in my best interests; if I had lost the people I loved and been hounded out of my home.
Why do people assume that everyone was the same and had the same impulses and desires? p270
JK does not spare Zoltan in his assessment. He is not especially warm as he acknowledges the monstrous ego of the man, an autocrat in his home, somewhat of a bigot, rude to servers, stubborn and unable to admit to errors in judgment. Yet he is loved by his family who rally around him in his last days.
What Zoltan couldn't see about himself was that, almost invariably, he was the one complicating matters. p190
You can't make sense of aching. It just is- it has its own impervious essence. p218
June 21, 2020
After 129 pages I gave up.
I didn’t like anything about Zoltan up to that point and didn't care to find out more.
Written in very simple prose and a somewhat confusing structure.
Past and present jump about within the same page. Very confusing.
Not one amusing element to be found.
This was a disappointment.
I didn’t like anything about Zoltan up to that point and didn't care to find out more.
Written in very simple prose and a somewhat confusing structure.
Past and present jump about within the same page. Very confusing.
Not one amusing element to be found.
This was a disappointment.
March 6, 2020
I received a free electronic ARC of this excellent historical novel from Netgalley, Joseph Kertes, and Penguin Random House Canada. Thank you all for sharing your hard work with me. I have read this novel of my own volition, and this review reflects my honest opinion of this work. I am happy to recommend Joseph Kertes to friends and family. His prose flows, painting intriguing pictures of the past and the present, his protagonists are imperfect but compelling, and we see Hungary as it was, then and now. He is an author I have added to my must-read list. This is a book I would like to chew over for a bit and then read again.
In the last couple of years, we are seeing more historical novels, both from WWI and WWII, that cover the facts of life, the joys, and hardships in the countries that fell to the German machine early -or late - in these wars. For many years we had France and Germany, and England and Russia, and little else. It is good to see this coverage of the everyday populace in those places hit first or hardest by these wars.
That said, you are gonna love this story. Zoltan is a live wire, one you are glad you don't have to live with as did his Hannah, his children. He is so opinionated and so broken that I found myself frustrated with him over and over - until I realized that the things that really set me off he shared with my own father, damaged not by war but by life. Ah, the patience of my mother... And Zoltan's son Ben. I found it interesting that the one with the patience and understanding of Zoltan's way was his middle child. And I was so pleased that Ben was the one to see him through the 'surprise'. Set aside sacred reading time and pots of tea. This is one you cannot put down.
pub date March 3, 2020
rec Oct 5, 2019
Reviewed on February 28, 2020, at Goodreads and Netgalley. Reviewed on March 3, 2020, at AmazonSmile, Barnes&Noble, BookBub, Kobo, and GooglePlay.
In the last couple of years, we are seeing more historical novels, both from WWI and WWII, that cover the facts of life, the joys, and hardships in the countries that fell to the German machine early -or late - in these wars. For many years we had France and Germany, and England and Russia, and little else. It is good to see this coverage of the everyday populace in those places hit first or hardest by these wars.
That said, you are gonna love this story. Zoltan is a live wire, one you are glad you don't have to live with as did his Hannah, his children. He is so opinionated and so broken that I found myself frustrated with him over and over - until I realized that the things that really set me off he shared with my own father, damaged not by war but by life. Ah, the patience of my mother... And Zoltan's son Ben. I found it interesting that the one with the patience and understanding of Zoltan's way was his middle child. And I was so pleased that Ben was the one to see him through the 'surprise'. Set aside sacred reading time and pots of tea. This is one you cannot put down.
pub date March 3, 2020
rec Oct 5, 2019
Reviewed on February 28, 2020, at Goodreads and Netgalley. Reviewed on March 3, 2020, at AmazonSmile, Barnes&Noble, BookBub, Kobo, and GooglePlay.
April 29, 2020
Holy Moly Zoli!
Joe Kertes should have a PhD in Family Storytelling...and Gerontology...and Music...and Hungarian History...and Comedy. I started this book at 8 am today, and completed it at 2:32 pm today. If you are not totally captivated and MOVED by this story, you should visit the doctor to make sure you were born with a HEART.
Joe Kertes should have a PhD in Family Storytelling...and Gerontology...and Music...and Hungarian History...and Comedy. I started this book at 8 am today, and completed it at 2:32 pm today. If you are not totally captivated and MOVED by this story, you should visit the doctor to make sure you were born with a HEART.
November 9, 2022
Joseph Kertes manages to combine two difficult themes in this story of Zoltan Beck, a man with a tragic past who is coming to the end of his life. He has spent much of it trying to put the brutality he experienced at the hand of the Nazis behind him, while his family who know little about his past, remain curious about Zoltan’s refusal to share it.
The narrative moves between Hungary during the Nazi occupation and Toronto in contemporary times.
The Beck family were Hungarian Jews living in Budapest. War did not break out until 1944 but because of alliances, war on minorities came earlier. As Germany’s ally, Hungary was expected to adhere to the values and laws of the Third Reich and so Jews in Hungary suffered the same degradations that Nazi Germany imposed on Jews in its own country. Zoltan was forbidden to attend university. Bela, his older brother, who was an exceptional swimmer and had earned a place on the national team, hoped to participate in the Olympics, but his dream came to an end when he was banned from using the public pools. He was also a gifted pianist who taught at the Liszt Academy, but was now banned from teaching. Their father Vilmos was a well connected and respected physician and the federal minister of health until war broke out and he lost his position.
As the Jews were increasingly targeted, Bela twenty-two and Zoltan twenty-one were sent to a labour camp in Transylvania. There they worked hard, surrounded by illness and death, had little to eat, were constantly cold and lived in close cramped barracks with the other prisoners. Bela kept a close eye on his younger brother, shielding him from as much as he could from falling into despair. When Corporal Vlad learned that Bela could play the piano, he brought him to his home to teach his daughter Zsofia so she could continue her piano lessons, brought to and end because of the war. This meant Bela had extra privileges in the camp, incurring the anger of the other prisoners.
Towards the end of the war, the brothers escaped from the camp but became separated and Zoltan never knew what became of his brother. It is that unknown past that has always haunted Zoltan and his family hopes to help him find out what happened so he can rest in peace.
After Zolton escaped to Canada he insisted on keeping his past where he felt it belonged, behind him, refusing to share it with his three sons, Frank , Ben and Sammy or his favourite daughter in law, Ben’s wife Lucy.
As the narrative moves between the past and the present, readers learn how the well-to-do, educated Beck family fled Hungary during the 1956 revolution, quietly slipping over the border into Austria by foot one dark night, as bombs fell around them. Ben was a four-year-old toddler at the time and remembers only snippets of that experience, but it is burned in his memory.
Once the young family landed in Canada, Zoltan started over, determined to be happy, to enjoy all the good that came with his new life. He vowed never to look back, to stay in the moment and put aside his anger over all that had happened. He just wanted a simple life with a house, a tree, a yard and a place where he could go about his life in peace. He vowed to be forever happy with what he had and want nothing more, building his new life in Canada on that premise.
Following the death of his wife Hannah, Zoltan began to wonder if it was worthwhile to hang on to life. Bela’s death was all he could handle and when his wife began to decline, it ruined his spirit and resolve. Now in his eighties, he lies in a hospital bed, ill with colon cancer, while his son Ben wonders about the past his father never talks about.
Kertes tells his story with kindness and humour and readers can’t help but love the curmudgeonly old Zoltan. His behavior swings between being eccentric and outrageous as the difficult relationship between Zoltan and his middle son Ben, who has always assumed responsibility for his aging father, is played out. Ben has always been patient and understanding, although he finds his father’s behavior frustrating. The description of Zoltan’s attempts to silence a noisy refrigerator, his failed colonoscopy, his visit to a restaurant when food flies in every direction and his failed driving test prove to be hilarious.
Zoltan and Ben are the main characters in the story, but where Zoltan’s character is well fleshed out, Ben remains more forgettable, almost a foil for his father and his outrageous behavior.
This is a heart-breaking story of the Hungarian Jews who suffered from German atrocities, filled with both serious and somber moments, which at times drift towards the sentimental but is saved by its judiciously placed humourous moments. Agreed, the plot is predictable, but the highlight of the novel is the skillful mix of humour with this heavy subject matter. Readers will laugh, but also be moved by this serious story.
The narrative moves between Hungary during the Nazi occupation and Toronto in contemporary times.
The Beck family were Hungarian Jews living in Budapest. War did not break out until 1944 but because of alliances, war on minorities came earlier. As Germany’s ally, Hungary was expected to adhere to the values and laws of the Third Reich and so Jews in Hungary suffered the same degradations that Nazi Germany imposed on Jews in its own country. Zoltan was forbidden to attend university. Bela, his older brother, who was an exceptional swimmer and had earned a place on the national team, hoped to participate in the Olympics, but his dream came to an end when he was banned from using the public pools. He was also a gifted pianist who taught at the Liszt Academy, but was now banned from teaching. Their father Vilmos was a well connected and respected physician and the federal minister of health until war broke out and he lost his position.
As the Jews were increasingly targeted, Bela twenty-two and Zoltan twenty-one were sent to a labour camp in Transylvania. There they worked hard, surrounded by illness and death, had little to eat, were constantly cold and lived in close cramped barracks with the other prisoners. Bela kept a close eye on his younger brother, shielding him from as much as he could from falling into despair. When Corporal Vlad learned that Bela could play the piano, he brought him to his home to teach his daughter Zsofia so she could continue her piano lessons, brought to and end because of the war. This meant Bela had extra privileges in the camp, incurring the anger of the other prisoners.
Towards the end of the war, the brothers escaped from the camp but became separated and Zoltan never knew what became of his brother. It is that unknown past that has always haunted Zoltan and his family hopes to help him find out what happened so he can rest in peace.
After Zolton escaped to Canada he insisted on keeping his past where he felt it belonged, behind him, refusing to share it with his three sons, Frank , Ben and Sammy or his favourite daughter in law, Ben’s wife Lucy.
As the narrative moves between the past and the present, readers learn how the well-to-do, educated Beck family fled Hungary during the 1956 revolution, quietly slipping over the border into Austria by foot one dark night, as bombs fell around them. Ben was a four-year-old toddler at the time and remembers only snippets of that experience, but it is burned in his memory.
Once the young family landed in Canada, Zoltan started over, determined to be happy, to enjoy all the good that came with his new life. He vowed never to look back, to stay in the moment and put aside his anger over all that had happened. He just wanted a simple life with a house, a tree, a yard and a place where he could go about his life in peace. He vowed to be forever happy with what he had and want nothing more, building his new life in Canada on that premise.
Following the death of his wife Hannah, Zoltan began to wonder if it was worthwhile to hang on to life. Bela’s death was all he could handle and when his wife began to decline, it ruined his spirit and resolve. Now in his eighties, he lies in a hospital bed, ill with colon cancer, while his son Ben wonders about the past his father never talks about.
Kertes tells his story with kindness and humour and readers can’t help but love the curmudgeonly old Zoltan. His behavior swings between being eccentric and outrageous as the difficult relationship between Zoltan and his middle son Ben, who has always assumed responsibility for his aging father, is played out. Ben has always been patient and understanding, although he finds his father’s behavior frustrating. The description of Zoltan’s attempts to silence a noisy refrigerator, his failed colonoscopy, his visit to a restaurant when food flies in every direction and his failed driving test prove to be hilarious.
Zoltan and Ben are the main characters in the story, but where Zoltan’s character is well fleshed out, Ben remains more forgettable, almost a foil for his father and his outrageous behavior.
This is a heart-breaking story of the Hungarian Jews who suffered from German atrocities, filled with both serious and somber moments, which at times drift towards the sentimental but is saved by its judiciously placed humourous moments. Agreed, the plot is predictable, but the highlight of the novel is the skillful mix of humour with this heavy subject matter. Readers will laugh, but also be moved by this serious story.
Read
March 6, 2020DNF at 51%
I absolutely HATE not finishing books, but this one has been bogging down my reading for several weeks. If it were to get any better, it probably would've happened by now. I couldn't really tell you what this story is. There is no plot, just rambling reflections and confusing time jumps. The writing style was fine, but the author kept going on random tangents that didn't seem necessary and distracted from whatever was going on. I do wish I could have finished it to have a better opinion, but I just couldn't do it when there's so many other things I want to read.
*I received at free ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*
I absolutely HATE not finishing books, but this one has been bogging down my reading for several weeks. If it were to get any better, it probably would've happened by now. I couldn't really tell you what this story is. There is no plot, just rambling reflections and confusing time jumps. The writing style was fine, but the author kept going on random tangents that didn't seem necessary and distracted from whatever was going on. I do wish I could have finished it to have a better opinion, but I just couldn't do it when there's so many other things I want to read.
*I received at free ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*
August 26, 2020
A touching story about a family that makes peace with it's patriarch, Zoltan and his past as a Hungarian refugee. Unbeknownst to Zoltan, he has last stage cancer. His son, Ben and Ben's wife, Lucy arrange for Zoltan to return for a final trip to Hungary together. Ben has not told his father that he is dying or how long he has left to live. He wants to make the trip to Hungary first. There they reconnect with long held family and family secrets. A well told story which at it's core is about family relationships.
April 5, 2020
Poignant and Powerful--A story you will never forget
Last Impressions is a rare novel indeed—one that can both make you laugh and cry. Bittersweet and comic, it tells the incredible story of Zoltan Beck, a Jewish Hungarian survivor of WWII. His adventures resettling in the New World and his relationships with his children often, at least early on in the novel, can be gloriously funny. But as the story progresses, we discover the unbelievably heroic and tragic journey Beck had to take and the comic becomes tragic. No wonder Publishers Weekly praised the book as both “hilarious and heartbreaking.” I don’t want to give any spoilers but just want to say that you can never forget Zoltan’s story. It will sear your soul and remain inside you forever.
Last Impressions is a rare novel indeed—one that can both make you laugh and cry. Bittersweet and comic, it tells the incredible story of Zoltan Beck, a Jewish Hungarian survivor of WWII. His adventures resettling in the New World and his relationships with his children often, at least early on in the novel, can be gloriously funny. But as the story progresses, we discover the unbelievably heroic and tragic journey Beck had to take and the comic becomes tragic. No wonder Publishers Weekly praised the book as both “hilarious and heartbreaking.” I don’t want to give any spoilers but just want to say that you can never forget Zoltan’s story. It will sear your soul and remain inside you forever.
September 30, 2020
I liked it. Weirdly, I came across a dozen or more similarities to my own life, but it’s probably normal as similar ethnic background as author’s. A bit stereotypical but not offensively so. It is so much about a dying-out breed of persons.
August 16, 2020
I will admit that I was ready to bail on this around p50… I was just not feeling drawn into the story at all. Then all of a sudden, as we really started to explore the events in wartime Hungary, my attention was commanded… and it was those chapters that kept me reading. The chapters set in the present day - with the exception of the final one to close the book - did not speak to me the same way.
Zoltan (Zoli) is a character who is very difficult to warm up to - you probably never will - but, by the end of the book we have been provided with an understanding of the events/circumstances which have made him the man that he is… and are glad that, for his son Ben’s sake at least, there is an explanation for the family dynamic he grew up in.
Zoli reminds us that there is no going back, that we must enjoy what we have, that we must heed the requests of our loved ones lest we live forever with regret, and that there is nothing wrong in being ordinary and predictable. Simple lessons to live by. But this novel is also a stern warning that we must acknowledge our history, no matter how painful that is individually or collectively… and acknowledge the ways in which it plays out through the generations, continuing to reverberate.
Ultimately, this reader was left satisfied that Zoltan was finally able to share this line with his son: “I would forgo all miracles in exchange for a life without horrors” (p285).
3.5
Zoltan (Zoli) is a character who is very difficult to warm up to - you probably never will - but, by the end of the book we have been provided with an understanding of the events/circumstances which have made him the man that he is… and are glad that, for his son Ben’s sake at least, there is an explanation for the family dynamic he grew up in.
Zoli reminds us that there is no going back, that we must enjoy what we have, that we must heed the requests of our loved ones lest we live forever with regret, and that there is nothing wrong in being ordinary and predictable. Simple lessons to live by. But this novel is also a stern warning that we must acknowledge our history, no matter how painful that is individually or collectively… and acknowledge the ways in which it plays out through the generations, continuing to reverberate.
Ultimately, this reader was left satisfied that Zoltan was finally able to share this line with his son: “I would forgo all miracles in exchange for a life without horrors” (p285).
3.5
February 1, 2021
Hungarian Holocaust survivor and formidable patriarch Zoltan Beck, now living in Canada, is approaching the end of his life. As Zolan's sons, Ben and Frank, help their irascible father at the hospital, we learn about Zoltan's early life in Hungary through a series of flashbacks, as Zoltan and his brother Bela are sent to a labour camp during the Second World War, where Bela's musical abilities bring him closer to the family of the labour camp's commander. Ben follows a trail that leads to a family secret that helps bring closure for Zoltan, while at the same time brings families together during a final visit to Hungary. That's the best I can do without spoilers.
Kertes does a remarkable job alternating between the dark and realistic story of life in the camp with moving and surprisingly funny anecdotes as Ben deals with Zoltan's impending demise. It's a tough balancing act and author Joseph Kertes pulls it off with love and care. There's a thread related to music that runs through the book that binds the two stories together in a way that is quite beautiful. I was struck by how Kertes is able to take two very different stories, both grim, and fill them with warmth and humanity. It's quite an achievement. Four stars.
Kertes does a remarkable job alternating between the dark and realistic story of life in the camp with moving and surprisingly funny anecdotes as Ben deals with Zoltan's impending demise. It's a tough balancing act and author Joseph Kertes pulls it off with love and care. There's a thread related to music that runs through the book that binds the two stories together in a way that is quite beautiful. I was struck by how Kertes is able to take two very different stories, both grim, and fill them with warmth and humanity. It's quite an achievement. Four stars.
July 10, 2022
Well for one, the “now” of this book overshadows the “then”; so the historical part that actually drew me into picking this book up was totally washed out.
And secondly, Zolton.
Having read many WWII historical novels, one thing I have noticed is the survivors are very grounded. They have seen the worst of it, and they carry that fear and pain in them, anger as well, so they are very appreciative of what they have. While they continue to strive to leave a better world for their future generation.
But Zolton has a different view which I can understand, not everyone is built in the same way. He is like what’s the point of success, why do you want to excel, stay mediocre, don’t you have enough etc.. Zolton repeatedly states that in the book to a point of irritation.
I think the author has really misunderstood the concept of being content. It does not mean you don’t give your 100% dedication to whatever in your life. Civilization wouldn’t be where it is today if everyone thought that.
And maybe Zolton’s PTSD has changed him, but even so, him as a character is so full of himself, it’s hard to imagine him as a war survivor. Maybe there are people like Zolton out there, but I couldn’t come to appreciate him, no offence to anyone.
And secondly, Zolton.
Having read many WWII historical novels, one thing I have noticed is the survivors are very grounded. They have seen the worst of it, and they carry that fear and pain in them, anger as well, so they are very appreciative of what they have. While they continue to strive to leave a better world for their future generation.
But Zolton has a different view which I can understand, not everyone is built in the same way. He is like what’s the point of success, why do you want to excel, stay mediocre, don’t you have enough etc.. Zolton repeatedly states that in the book to a point of irritation.
I think the author has really misunderstood the concept of being content. It does not mean you don’t give your 100% dedication to whatever in your life. Civilization wouldn’t be where it is today if everyone thought that.
And maybe Zolton’s PTSD has changed him, but even so, him as a character is so full of himself, it’s hard to imagine him as a war survivor. Maybe there are people like Zolton out there, but I couldn’t come to appreciate him, no offence to anyone.
June 11, 2022
Last Impressions is about a Hungarian- Canadian family coping with death and memory.Zoltan Beck, a Jew, survived a work camp in Hungary only with the help of his brother Bella who died after after organizing their escape from the camp as the Russian army advanced.Zoltan eventually emigrated to Canada and started a new life with a loving wife and three sons. Ben, his most attentive son, takes Zoltan back to Hungary where he learns more about Bella and the new family he never knew existed.An interesting tale but Zoltan is a very difficult man- rude to all, with exasperating quirks.The story has a quasi happy ending as Zoltan learns what happened to his beloved brother in his last days but Zoltan is so unlikable that you hardly care.
February 29, 2020
No spoilers for the secret of Zoltan Beck. Know that it relates to post WWII Hungary (that's no surprise) and that while he thinks revealing it will destroy his family, he's wrong. This moves back and forth between Hungary and Toronto, where he's dying. You have to give his sons Ben and Frank credit (as well as his wife). There are some humorous spot here but on the whole it's a family saga that has as much sadness as anything else. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.
May 10, 2020
His father's health is failing and Ben is desperate to understand the long buried secrets of his past. The story weaves in and out of contemporary Toronto and Hungary during and after World War II. There wasn't anything terribly unique or mind blowing here but the writing was excellent and the characters were well developed. The audio-book narrator did a good job and I chuckled out loud several times. It reminded me a lot of Momento Park by Mark Sarvas.
March 24, 2020
I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway. I enjoyed this character-driven novel which tells the story of Zoltan Beck, his brother Bela and Zoltan’s relationship with his three sons and their families. A book I would definitely recommend.
April 9, 2020
Last Impressions is a powerful depiction of the pain and comedy of family life. Zoltan, broken and wildly frustrating to the reader as well as his family, is a deeply flawed but engaging character who just won't let go.
August 9, 2020
“I would forgo all miracles in exchange for a life without horrors... Ordinariness is the miracle. Predictability. Enough, enough, not too much. Nobody should be too beautiful or too smart or too rich. Not if they want to enjoy life.”
Absolutely, loved this book.
Absolutely, loved this book.
February 20, 2021
Zoltan is not a likeable character, but through his son we warm to him.
You sense something good is going to happen, but it doesn't until close to the end.
And it's a good ending. Only then can we see/sense Zoltan smile.
You sense something good is going to happen, but it doesn't until close to the end.
And it's a good ending. Only then can we see/sense Zoltan smile.
December 1, 2024
This was an interesting story, following along as we try to uncover Zoltan's past. Zoltan is definitely hard to love, he is grumpy and he has had a rough life, but he definitely won't tell you about it so you can understand him better.
March 21, 2020
I won this in a Goodreads giveaway.
I enjoyed this book. Characters were believable and well rounded.
I enjoyed this book. Characters were believable and well rounded.
May 13, 2020
Great read, great storyline. Love the author's style of combining humour and pathos to convey his message.
October 5, 2020
I really liked this book, probably because it had many similarities to my Grandparents. I found some sections in the middle a little long with not much value to the story.
December 18, 2020
This is the first book I've read by Joseph Kertes and I'll be looking for other books by him to savour. Lovely story of family, with all its mystery, buried memories and found love.
December 24, 2020
The writing is absolutely delicious.
January 20, 2021
A total 5* read. No idea why it is showing as 1 star and won't let me change
June 3, 2021
This was a very moving account of a family who fled Hungary in the 1950's. The book goes back and forth between the past and present in weaving the tale.
September 27, 2023
Interesting take on families, relationships, and historical events. Easy to read.
November 29, 2023
I approached this story with enthusiasm that was dashed. It did not make me laugh out loud; nor did it make me cry.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews