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Une île au coeur du monde
Josip Lasta naît en 1933 dans les Balkans. En pleine Seconde Guerre mondiale, les montagnes yougoslaves sont le théâtre d affrontements terribles impliquant les armées allemandes et italiennes d occupation et les forces rebelles (oustachis, tchetniks, partisans communistes). Les habitants des Balkans sont à la frontière de trois mondes : le monde islamique, le monde slave orthodoxe et l Europe catholique. Ici, les conflits ne sont pas seulement géopolitiques mais aussi spirituels et religieux. Comment garder son identité et son humanité dans des conditions déshumanisantes ? Josip qui mourra dans la première décennie du XXIe siècle verra son monde s effondrer, traversera des épreuves cruelles et trouvera le chemin d une véritable résurrection. Le souffle épique de Michael O Brien donne à ce roman une portée universelle, inondé qu il est par une éclatante lumière. Rubrique : Romans
828 pages, Paperback
First published November 15, 2007
318 people are currently reading
5489 people want to read
About the author
Michael D. O'Brien
45 books844 followersMichael D. O'Brien is a Roman Catholic author, artist, and frequent essayist and lecturer on faith and culture, living in Combermere, Ontario, Canada.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 476 reviews
October 13, 2015
I'm rating my father's novels here as a fan. But I think I'm going to decline writing a review for now, due to my kinship with the author. Suffice to say, I look forward to his books as much as anyone else, and find them deeply moving. I am not unaware of their flaws, but their strengths surpass them, and so abundantly, that I find them almost moot. If I find myself choked up and in tears only once in a novel, I tell him it's not his best work. I'm normally moved at a deep level 3-4 times per novel. He has a rare gift of penetrating deep into spiritual truths by means of his craft, which is a reflection of the person he is -- an artist who has been refined in a furnace of faith not unlike many of his characters.
Island of the World, however, is currently my favourite of all his works, due to the way it explores the mystery of suffering: not offering pat answers, but pointing to glimpses of meaning and transcendence. In this respect, it is immensely consoling.
Island of the World, however, is currently my favourite of all his works, due to the way it explores the mystery of suffering: not offering pat answers, but pointing to glimpses of meaning and transcendence. In this respect, it is immensely consoling.
July 26, 2010
This is an extremely intense novel. Michael O'Brien has a knack for writing books that change the reader. This book is a marvelous, painful, and redemptive look at how love and suffering are two sides of one coin. He seems to capture the most sublime love and also the most unimaginable suffering, and somehow pack them into one character and make us understand how all of this could really exist in the history of one person. By the grace of God, suffering does not blot love out of his heart. This book has a way of orienting the reader to that which is actually important in life. With the main character I feel gratitude for every bit of beauty, every civility, and with him I learn to feel fearless in the face of "enemies" that are the garden-variety type I am likely to encounter.
Never have I read a book that had me exclaiming out loud when something happened to a character, or stopping dozens of times to cry, sometimes to sob. I would like to believe that no real person has ever experienced the sorts of sufferings Josip lived through. I feel like after reading this, I will tread this earth with far more reverence for its inhabitants than I have known before.
Never have I read a book that had me exclaiming out loud when something happened to a character, or stopping dozens of times to cry, sometimes to sob. I would like to believe that no real person has ever experienced the sorts of sufferings Josip lived through. I feel like after reading this, I will tread this earth with far more reverence for its inhabitants than I have known before.
July 22, 2016
Bosnia-Herzegovina. Croatia. Serbia. Yugoslavia.
Croats. Chetniks. Ustashe. Partisans. Communists.
Suffering. Massacres. Labour camps.
Having read this book, I am only marginally less confused about the history of the former Yugoslavia, but then a comprehensive view of the different parties and factions involved is not its point. This is the inner life of one person, Josip, an unusually bright and spiritually perceptive boy who grows up in the midst of unimaginable suffering. As the horror of what he has gone through takes hold, he is changed. Human love and beauty make a great difference, but not an ultimate one. When he loses everything again, he finds that his own heart has become as bitter and murderous as those who have done evil to him. It seems like an inevitable cycle "--the children of Cain breeding Cain breeding Cain breeding Cain breeding Cain--". But the cycle is broken with the forgiveness and love of Christ.
This is a devoutly Roman Catholic book. I am not; I cling to the clarity and simplicity of the Reformation solas. And yet I was deeply blessed by the deeper Christian themes of this book --themes of suffering with Christ, of redemption through his sacrifice, of the continual dying to self of the Christian life, and of Christ's return. This was a moving, even heart-breaking book in many ways, but I did not weep until I came to Josip's vision as an old man of the celestial city come down from above. I thought, "Yes. Jesus will come, and He will set everything right." There is Truth here.
I have not yet mentioned Josip's poetry, which is beautiful and all the more powerful because it is paired with this story.
I hope to read this book again when I have read The Odyssey, which is referenced throughout the book. I know I missed some depth of meaning because I was not familiar with it. I will also keep it in my mind should ever God allow deep suffering to come into my life. It is a powerful, beautiful book.
Croats. Chetniks. Ustashe. Partisans. Communists.
Suffering. Massacres. Labour camps.
Having read this book, I am only marginally less confused about the history of the former Yugoslavia, but then a comprehensive view of the different parties and factions involved is not its point. This is the inner life of one person, Josip, an unusually bright and spiritually perceptive boy who grows up in the midst of unimaginable suffering. As the horror of what he has gone through takes hold, he is changed. Human love and beauty make a great difference, but not an ultimate one. When he loses everything again, he finds that his own heart has become as bitter and murderous as those who have done evil to him. It seems like an inevitable cycle "--the children of Cain breeding Cain breeding Cain breeding Cain breeding Cain--". But the cycle is broken with the forgiveness and love of Christ.
This is a devoutly Roman Catholic book. I am not; I cling to the clarity and simplicity of the Reformation solas. And yet I was deeply blessed by the deeper Christian themes of this book --themes of suffering with Christ, of redemption through his sacrifice, of the continual dying to self of the Christian life, and of Christ's return. This was a moving, even heart-breaking book in many ways, but I did not weep until I came to Josip's vision as an old man of the celestial city come down from above. I thought, "Yes. Jesus will come, and He will set everything right." There is Truth here.
I have not yet mentioned Josip's poetry, which is beautiful and all the more powerful because it is paired with this story.
I hope to read this book again when I have read The Odyssey, which is referenced throughout the book. I know I missed some depth of meaning because I was not familiar with it. I will also keep it in my mind should ever God allow deep suffering to come into my life. It is a powerful, beautiful book.
January 13, 2014
Beautifully written novel which could be titled The Odyssey of Josip Lasta. My most respected friends had urged this book on me for years but in the end I see that Providence kept the book waiting for me.
I learned much about happiness, personal fulfillment, and forgiveness from this poetic novel. Godliness with contentment is great gain.
Once again Homer provides THE outline. I hope to one day see the Adriatic.
I did not give this book 5 stars. There is a 5-star book within these 850 pages but a bit of editing would have sharpened the dagger during the last third of the book, in my opinion. Still, well worth the time and effort to glean.
I learned much about happiness, personal fulfillment, and forgiveness from this poetic novel. Godliness with contentment is great gain.
Once again Homer provides THE outline. I hope to one day see the Adriatic.
I did not give this book 5 stars. There is a 5-star book within these 850 pages but a bit of editing would have sharpened the dagger during the last third of the book, in my opinion. Still, well worth the time and effort to glean.
January 10, 2018
"Does something really bad happen?" my husband whispers as I'm weeping inconsolably.
Yes. The whole time. Yes.
Beauty and heartbreak cover every page. Hope and despair, too.
Come, Lord Jesus.
Yes. The whole time. Yes.
Beauty and heartbreak cover every page. Hope and despair, too.
Come, Lord Jesus.
February 12, 2020
Now that I have read the last pages I know I won't be able to pick up another novel for a while, Island of the World grabbed me and will be holding me for a while longer.
I have longed for a good read, one that would stay and change me and this book, did just that. I see the world with new eyes, I understand history better and understand forgiveness even better.
Josip Lasta, what a life did he have, what a journey and what a beautiful life he lived, hard yes but also beautiful.
I will be recommending this book over and over and will re read it many more time .
I have longed for a good read, one that would stay and change me and this book, did just that. I see the world with new eyes, I understand history better and understand forgiveness even better.
Josip Lasta, what a life did he have, what a journey and what a beautiful life he lived, hard yes but also beautiful.
I will be recommending this book over and over and will re read it many more time .
October 3, 2012
I think if I were a knight, I would be called "Sir Helen, Devourer of Books." Gone with the Wind? Read that baby in two days. The Heaven Tree Trilogy? I liked that one a lot more, so I slowed down... and still finished all three books in as many days. My point is, I read fast. There's nothing wrong with that, most of the time. And then, about a month ago, I went to college. It's hard to just sit down and read, when at any given moment three essays need writing and there's a test day after tomorrow and everyone's going to dinner so won't you come? This became my bedtime book. How long I read each night depended on how drop-dead exhausted I was. It took me weeks to finish, and honestly, I think that for this book it's a good thing. Sure, the plot gallops at times, but at others it's just the slow steady unfolding of daily life, beautifully, almost poetically written. As I read it, night after night, my own life unfolded as well. My reading pace came closer to matching the plot's pace then if I'd chewed it up in a sitting. It's a temptation with this book. It wavers between transcendence and harsh, horrible reality. Terrible things happen. Wonderful things happen. Tears streamed down my cheeks more times than I'd like to count. At this speed, I could soak it all in, marinate in the prose and the story and the characters. With this book, it's worth it to take it slow.
November 19, 2010
A story of how brutal circumstances cannot break the beauty of a heart that loves God. You will ache in reading this book, but the ending ache is that of hope. One of the most beautiful novels I've read.
September 14, 2020
This is one of the most well-written books I’ve ever had the pleasure to read. It’s long and heart-rending in parts. It’s one of those books that completely absorbs you from beginning to end.
March 4, 2018
Divan je osjećaj kada nakon pročitane knjige vidiš da ni ti nisi više isti. Ima nešto što te oplemeni, uzdigne, otvori nove vidike, podsjeti na ono bitno i Vječno, postavi ti blagi osmjeh na lice, unese u tebe mir i jednostavno te učini boljim. Nema takvih knjiga puno. Doduše, ovo je jedna od spomenutih.
U vremenima zbrkanih vrijednosti i zatvaranju u čahure vlastitog egoizma te zaboravljanju na Ljubav s križa - svakako preporučam!
U vremenima zbrkanih vrijednosti i zatvaranju u čahure vlastitog egoizma te zaboravljanju na Ljubav s križa - svakako preporučam!
January 23, 2011
Borrowed from a Library. Hope to own.
This book is beautiful beyond words. Painful, excruciating at times. But even there the words are beautiful.
Joy, infinite joy. Sadness, deep sadness. It will make you think. I can't review such a book.
I suspect more than a passing knowledge of The Iliad and The Odyssey would have been helpful as this, too, was a journey of a man returning home to his beloved.
Several bloggers (U Krakovianki and Anne) have recommended it and named a life-changing book and their favorite book; I may have to concur.
This book is beautiful beyond words. Painful, excruciating at times. But even there the words are beautiful.
Joy, infinite joy. Sadness, deep sadness. It will make you think. I can't review such a book.
I suspect more than a passing knowledge of The Iliad and The Odyssey would have been helpful as this, too, was a journey of a man returning home to his beloved.
Several bloggers (U Krakovianki and Anne) have recommended it and named a life-changing book and their favorite book; I may have to concur.
April 11, 2022
Your heart, with the pages, will rip and turn and tear and rest a while. This book embodies the heights of human suffering while pulling you undeniably into the love that comes from the Crucified Lord.
____________________________
My second review:
This story felt much different the second time, somehow less dramatic and more gentle - though I think it’s because I knew what was coming.
My main takeaway is the character of Josip. Josip, Josip, I want to be like you — to love and forgive, to live so simply. If my love were yet more simple, I would take Him at His word. The interior life is endless riches, endless possibility of knowing self and knowing Love.
____________________________
My second review:
This story felt much different the second time, somehow less dramatic and more gentle - though I think it’s because I knew what was coming.
My main takeaway is the character of Josip. Josip, Josip, I want to be like you — to love and forgive, to live so simply. If my love were yet more simple, I would take Him at His word. The interior life is endless riches, endless possibility of knowing self and knowing Love.
June 20, 2017
Second time through, and it's still my favorite novel.
June 11, 2025
"We came to know that Love is the soul of the world, though its Body bleeds, and we must learn to bleed with it."
January 9, 2025
This story is a vivid depiction of the burden and beauty of individuality, both crushing and hopeful. O’Brien nears Dostoevsky in his ability to portray the isolation of the individual’s search for love but weaves in beautifully the hope of the gospel and relationship with God, echoing John Donne’s claim that “no man is an island.” While the plot of the book is not its most engaging feature and strays into the improbable and impossible often, it is full of beautiful and profound reflections and themes. I would totally recommend the book, especially for anyone who is experiencing loneliness and is struggling to feel connected to God.
January 7, 2025
Five stars are not enough. This book is in a category of its own. It is devastatingly beautiful and beautifully devastating. Poetry, philosophy, history, spiritual insight, political wisdom--it's all here, and woven together in a masterful saga of humanity, loss, love, and forgiveness. There were times that I had to lay the book aside for a time; the way this book draws you inside of it means it takes time to live the story. There is horrible pain but also poignant hope and powerful redemption. There are sparrows and stones and the sea. Always the sea. There are no words. You learn something new every day. There is no need for this, it is already spoken.
February 3, 2022
3.5/5 stars. Y'all, I so deeply wanted to love this with everything in me. Sections of the novel were an easy 5 star read - unforgettable characters, gorgeous and lyric writing, and a plot that is larger than life. Unfortunately, there were also aspects of the novel I just couldn't seem to overlook, primarily O'Brien's approach to religion.
What's done well in this book: this is a MOVING story. Gosh, the author knows how to make you care about characters, and parts of this story just made me hear sing. and feel like it was shattered hopelessly. The pathos of this story is exceptional and there are characters here I'll be thinking about for years. This is also a prime example of a modern epic. Josip Lasta lives through the later 3/4ths of the 20th century, and the history nerd in me LOVED the timeline of the novel. He honors a cultural region which is rarely written in fiction by focusing the plot in Eastern Europe, and the book as a whole is also a wonderful homage to storytelling and purpose of art. These elements I couldn't get enough of.
Sadly, there were other persistent elements in the book that took away from the parts that worked well. Look, I believe there are GOOD ways to approach religion in books; take Graham Greene's The End of the Affair, The Brothers Karamazov, or Shusaku Endo's Silence, for example. I'm not opposed to religion as a primary theme in a text when it's done well, but in my opinion, this ain't it. The implications of Josip's journey with faith are excellent: he struggles with doubt and directs anger toward God. There is breakage and repair, disbelief and numbness, and ultimately, healing and hope-filled faith. What didn't work for me was the extent to which O'Brien expects readers to suspend disbelief to explain the circumstances (and miracles) of Josip's life. The book is deeply Catholic, which explains this to some extent, but the Eucharistic miracles as primary plot point just didn't work in the narrative as a whole; at least not with the weight the author gives them. I also struggled with the narrative voice in large sections of this book - when Josip describes being a child, for instance, it's with an abstract eloquence that was hard to accept as coming from an 8 year-old boy. His descriptions of falling in love, while quite flowery and lovely from a prose standpoint, just lacked the realism and conversation to make the story believable. Especially given the detailed description and vibrancy of the text's horrific moments, it was surprising to me how the happier sections seemed so unrealistic.
On the whole, this was a very good read. I had multiple days where I couldn't put this book down, and it was hard for this 800-page story to end. Perhaps I would be less disappointed if I hadn't started out with such lofty expectations. If you're looking for a deeply religious story with a historical scope, this is still quite an excellent novel that creates deep empathy and examines the difficulty of faith in light of human suffering!
What's done well in this book: this is a MOVING story. Gosh, the author knows how to make you care about characters, and parts of this story just made me hear sing. and feel like it was shattered hopelessly. The pathos of this story is exceptional and there are characters here I'll be thinking about for years. This is also a prime example of a modern epic. Josip Lasta lives through the later 3/4ths of the 20th century, and the history nerd in me LOVED the timeline of the novel. He honors a cultural region which is rarely written in fiction by focusing the plot in Eastern Europe, and the book as a whole is also a wonderful homage to storytelling and purpose of art. These elements I couldn't get enough of.
Sadly, there were other persistent elements in the book that took away from the parts that worked well. Look, I believe there are GOOD ways to approach religion in books; take Graham Greene's The End of the Affair, The Brothers Karamazov, or Shusaku Endo's Silence, for example. I'm not opposed to religion as a primary theme in a text when it's done well, but in my opinion, this ain't it. The implications of Josip's journey with faith are excellent: he struggles with doubt and directs anger toward God. There is breakage and repair, disbelief and numbness, and ultimately, healing and hope-filled faith. What didn't work for me was the extent to which O'Brien expects readers to suspend disbelief to explain the circumstances (and miracles) of Josip's life. The book is deeply Catholic, which explains this to some extent, but the Eucharistic miracles as primary plot point just didn't work in the narrative as a whole; at least not with the weight the author gives them. I also struggled with the narrative voice in large sections of this book - when Josip describes being a child, for instance, it's with an abstract eloquence that was hard to accept as coming from an 8 year-old boy. His descriptions of falling in love, while quite flowery and lovely from a prose standpoint, just lacked the realism and conversation to make the story believable. Especially given the detailed description and vibrancy of the text's horrific moments, it was surprising to me how the happier sections seemed so unrealistic.
On the whole, this was a very good read. I had multiple days where I couldn't put this book down, and it was hard for this 800-page story to end. Perhaps I would be less disappointed if I hadn't started out with such lofty expectations. If you're looking for a deeply religious story with a historical scope, this is still quite an excellent novel that creates deep empathy and examines the difficulty of faith in light of human suffering!
January 1, 2025
As I started in on this tome for the second time, I was ready to lower my rating. The story starts slowly. The horrors and brutality, while true to history, are revolting and unrelenting, reminding me of what a visit to the holocaust museum feels like. But all those pages and pages provide a sense of time passing, a life lived, and they give the second half (and the aging character) its power and brilliance. The vision of suffering and love and forgiveness remains with me.
First review: Thrilling as a story, stimulating as philosophical fodder, evocative as a retelling of history, compelling as spiritual insight, Island of the World holds moments of inexpressible beauty and inexpressible evil. Both exist in the world, but few people are able to see both with the clarity O'Brien has seen them and gives them to us. This is as true a story as a story can be.
First review: Thrilling as a story, stimulating as philosophical fodder, evocative as a retelling of history, compelling as spiritual insight, Island of the World holds moments of inexpressible beauty and inexpressible evil. Both exist in the world, but few people are able to see both with the clarity O'Brien has seen them and gives them to us. This is as true a story as a story can be.
March 24, 2020
Prekrasna knjiga. Knjiga o čovjeku koji je toliko toga proživio i doživio a svojim postupcima, razmišljanjima te ostavlja bez riječi...Kao što sam negdje pročitala: "Zlo ih je pržilo, oni umjesto da odgovore mržnjom, odgovaraju dobrim i nadom u bolje sutra."
Knjigu je tako tesko bilo ispustati iz ruke, a onda kad bi je zatvorila tesko sam se vracala u stvarnost. Tesko je bilo ostati ravnodusan na toliku bol, patnju, tugu. Ostati svoj, vjeran sebi, Bogu, onome sto je ispravno, biti ponizan, ne popustiti kušnjama, podrugima drugih.
"...dovoljno je biti ono što jesi. To je tvoja poruka svijetu."
"Ne traži ništa za sebe!! Budi spreman služiti u tišini, ne tražeći ništa, ne očekujući ništa, žrtvujući se i moleći da nitko ne zna. Tiho, tiho, tiho... "
Knjigu je tako tesko bilo ispustati iz ruke, a onda kad bi je zatvorila tesko sam se vracala u stvarnost. Tesko je bilo ostati ravnodusan na toliku bol, patnju, tugu. Ostati svoj, vjeran sebi, Bogu, onome sto je ispravno, biti ponizan, ne popustiti kušnjama, podrugima drugih.
"...dovoljno je biti ono što jesi. To je tvoja poruka svijetu."
"Ne traži ništa za sebe!! Budi spreman služiti u tišini, ne tražeći ništa, ne očekujući ništa, žrtvujući se i moleći da nitko ne zna. Tiho, tiho, tiho... "
August 26, 2019
An achingly sad and beautiful book. Sometimes Josip’s hardships were overwhelming and I had to put the book down for a few hours, but there was a redemptive thread throughout that kept them from being unbearable. I appreciate the ability of Catholic authors to include suffering in their fiction without facile answers. But I struggled at times to identify with the more mystical elements of Obrien’s book.
Still, this is some of the best storytelling you will ever read. The combination of drama, theology, pathos, and gentle joys (told in exquisite prose) will leave a long-lasting impression.
I’m ashamed to say that Island of the World has been on my Kindle for eight years waiting for just the right occasion to fit in an 800 page book. I’m glad I finally made the time.
Still, this is some of the best storytelling you will ever read. The combination of drama, theology, pathos, and gentle joys (told in exquisite prose) will leave a long-lasting impression.
I’m ashamed to say that Island of the World has been on my Kindle for eight years waiting for just the right occasion to fit in an 800 page book. I’m glad I finally made the time.
November 3, 2025
This book left me with few words, but many thoughts. The stories of suffering were excruciating, yet the redemption that flowed from it felt real and true (Yes, maybe idealistic, but it is the idealism which points to the higher truth that is here but which we cannot yet see in all its fullness). I was reminded of Langburg's book, Suffering and the Heart of God, many times; Island of the World felt like a novelist's spin on it.
And the writing. The writing is beautiful.
I must read this again.
And the writing. The writing is beautiful.
I must read this again.
February 9, 2023
This book was stunning. At times fast-paced and heart-wrenching and others, ponderously theological and poetically slow. It had everything you could ever want in a story. Human suffering and the ability to overcome, only by the grace and mercy of God, is a tragic and beautiful gift. I loved it and know it’ll be one I think of often.
March 6, 2013
Paul Elie, in his essay, "Has Fiction Lost Its Faith?" (New York Times, December 23, 2012) asked who are the writers today of serious spiritual content, and several persons wrote letters pointing out serious shortcomings in Elie's piece.
I would add one more writer, Michael D. O'Brien (who might have been omitted because Elie was writing about American fiction, whereas O'Brien is Canadian).
First of all, take a look at how many stars this book received, both on this site and on Amazon-dot-com. Either O'Brien has a large family or many friends to write positively about The Island of the World,/u>, or just perhaps he has sounded a note that resonates in many.
Second, O'Brien is a gifted story-teller. His books have several threads, yet he manages to keep them separated so that one does not keep tripping over too many characters or sub-pplots.
Third, his prose, often lyrical, approaches poetry - and his poems are thoughtful meditations.
What makes him a "story-teller" as opposed to a novelist is, perhaps, one can read him aloud; indeed, I think he is best appreciated read aloud, or if to oneself, sotto voce.
O'Brien is a fideist, a Roman Catholic who is unashamed of his faith, and this is reflected in the characters who populate his many novels. These characters are individuals of deep faith in God's Providence, regardless of the misfortunes that fall them. And believe me, violence and cruelty dog Josef Lasta, the protagonist of The Island of the World, but his faith, once lost but rediscovered, pulls him through
Are they "living saints"? Perhaps, but they are often flawed, never failing to recognize their human failings.
I know too many people, sadly, who would find Josef Lasta to be too other-worldly, even sappy. And more is the pity! For in this age of Materialism, Modernism, and rampant secularization, Lasta is an example of someone, who in his humility, has something to teach us all.
I would add one more writer, Michael D. O'Brien (who might have been omitted because Elie was writing about American fiction, whereas O'Brien is Canadian).
First of all, take a look at how many stars this book received, both on this site and on Amazon-dot-com. Either O'Brien has a large family or many friends to write positively about The Island of the World,/u>, or just perhaps he has sounded a note that resonates in many.
Second, O'Brien is a gifted story-teller. His books have several threads, yet he manages to keep them separated so that one does not keep tripping over too many characters or sub-pplots.
Third, his prose, often lyrical, approaches poetry - and his poems are thoughtful meditations.
What makes him a "story-teller" as opposed to a novelist is, perhaps, one can read him aloud; indeed, I think he is best appreciated read aloud, or if to oneself, sotto voce.
O'Brien is a fideist, a Roman Catholic who is unashamed of his faith, and this is reflected in the characters who populate his many novels. These characters are individuals of deep faith in God's Providence, regardless of the misfortunes that fall them. And believe me, violence and cruelty dog Josef Lasta, the protagonist of The Island of the World, but his faith, once lost but rediscovered, pulls him through
Are they "living saints"? Perhaps, but they are often flawed, never failing to recognize their human failings.
I know too many people, sadly, who would find Josef Lasta to be too other-worldly, even sappy. And more is the pity! For in this age of Materialism, Modernism, and rampant secularization, Lasta is an example of someone, who in his humility, has something to teach us all.
March 10, 2017
Just to be clear: this is a 5 star + rating. I'm astonished at this epic work. Thank you, thank you to my friend who recommended it.
This is an epic 830 page story of the life of a man, Josip Lasta, born in 1933 in the Balkans. The breadth of this historical fiction is astonishing, covering the second world war and into the year 2001. The boy grows up in a mountainous interior of Croatia, an idyllic pastureland, when World War II breaks out. The Germans, Italians, Fascists, and Communists all via for control of the beautiful country. What ensues is a violence all too common. Through loss of freedom and dehumanization, Josip Lasta sustains trauma and violence, struggles with hate and forgiveness, and seeks to keep his cultural heritage alive under government oppression and in exile.
The author writes with poetry sprinkled throughout, as Josip Lasta becomes a poet. The poetry itself is very beautiful. The author is a Catholic writer and the book is published by Ignatius Press--maybe that's why it hasn't received any literary awards? Anyway, it is fully deserving. Some Catholic doctrines are in here, but it is mainly a beautiful Christian work, fully human.
Throughout the story, the reader keeps wondering if this actually happened. And in the afterword, the author says, "Dear reader, all that is most improbable in this tale occurred. Only the 'ordinary' is invented." Clearly, I do not know enough about the history of the Balkans and Croatia in particular.
The themes explore violence, deep human suffering, the refugee experience, humility of spirit, investment in people and culture, hate, anger, and forgiveness, and all that is good in literature, music, and nature. The symbolism is extensive--birds, dolphins, and other things in nature. This is a very rich book. I can't recommend it highly enough.
This is an epic 830 page story of the life of a man, Josip Lasta, born in 1933 in the Balkans. The breadth of this historical fiction is astonishing, covering the second world war and into the year 2001. The boy grows up in a mountainous interior of Croatia, an idyllic pastureland, when World War II breaks out. The Germans, Italians, Fascists, and Communists all via for control of the beautiful country. What ensues is a violence all too common. Through loss of freedom and dehumanization, Josip Lasta sustains trauma and violence, struggles with hate and forgiveness, and seeks to keep his cultural heritage alive under government oppression and in exile.
The author writes with poetry sprinkled throughout, as Josip Lasta becomes a poet. The poetry itself is very beautiful. The author is a Catholic writer and the book is published by Ignatius Press--maybe that's why it hasn't received any literary awards? Anyway, it is fully deserving. Some Catholic doctrines are in here, but it is mainly a beautiful Christian work, fully human.
Throughout the story, the reader keeps wondering if this actually happened. And in the afterword, the author says, "Dear reader, all that is most improbable in this tale occurred. Only the 'ordinary' is invented." Clearly, I do not know enough about the history of the Balkans and Croatia in particular.
The themes explore violence, deep human suffering, the refugee experience, humility of spirit, investment in people and culture, hate, anger, and forgiveness, and all that is good in literature, music, and nature. The symbolism is extensive--birds, dolphins, and other things in nature. This is a very rich book. I can't recommend it highly enough.
January 24, 2017
When friends learned we were moving to Albania, they recommended this book. Though it is a novel, it has been very well researched, or lived out by someone who experienced living in the Balkans under Communist rule. It has helped me understand the people of Albania, what they have lived through, and the pains of the past. Evidence of the past is very present to this day, and the generations that remember are very reserved.
The novel traces the life of Josip, from age 12 to old age. The drama of survival against impossible odds, all miraculously provided for, keeps the reader glued to the story. Josip receives a good education and uses it, not to promote himself, but for the greater good. We watch him give himself away, against the wisdom of the world, throughout his life. The Church is always near, but not an obvious, or even sought after, part of his life. Often he is led or following after, something he doesn't understand or see for himself.
Though the Roman Catholic church is the underlay of this book (Ignatius Press), protestant Christians will benefit and learn from it as well. The writing is superb: descriptions of bad things and difficult places are especially good, and important to understand, and pray for, those who today still suffer under political regimes that persecute the Church.
The novel traces the life of Josip, from age 12 to old age. The drama of survival against impossible odds, all miraculously provided for, keeps the reader glued to the story. Josip receives a good education and uses it, not to promote himself, but for the greater good. We watch him give himself away, against the wisdom of the world, throughout his life. The Church is always near, but not an obvious, or even sought after, part of his life. Often he is led or following after, something he doesn't understand or see for himself.
Though the Roman Catholic church is the underlay of this book (Ignatius Press), protestant Christians will benefit and learn from it as well. The writing is superb: descriptions of bad things and difficult places are especially good, and important to understand, and pray for, those who today still suffer under political regimes that persecute the Church.
August 21, 2024
I simply have not stopped thinking about this scene since I read it two days ago:
…Waves of love come to him from the hands of Christ, even as the boy realizes that his own hands are pressing the wounds.
“Does it hurt you?”Josip asks
“Yes it hurts me,” Christ gently replies. There is no reproach in the words, only an assurance that he desires to bear this for love’s sake…(798)
Wow! This book made me cry (twice!) and I brought parts of it to prayer which is how you know it’s a wow book! The story is very tragic (and there are definitely some parts that I found quite disturbing so be aware of that) but “all crucified churches are resurrected churches” (774). The way that this story wrestled with pain and suffering showing how Christ can redeem even the most horrendous situations gave me so much hope. The book’s exploration of memory was truly remarkable and I enjoyed the references to the Odyssey and St. Augustine. I also don’t really know how to describe it but the way in which the main character comes to see the world and the power of words and memory is just so similar to the way in which I see it that I just really resonated with him. Highly highly recommend!
Who are you?
Where have you come from?
Where are you going?
I am here
I am here
I am here
…Waves of love come to him from the hands of Christ, even as the boy realizes that his own hands are pressing the wounds.
“Does it hurt you?”Josip asks
“Yes it hurts me,” Christ gently replies. There is no reproach in the words, only an assurance that he desires to bear this for love’s sake…(798)
Wow! This book made me cry (twice!) and I brought parts of it to prayer which is how you know it’s a wow book! The story is very tragic (and there are definitely some parts that I found quite disturbing so be aware of that) but “all crucified churches are resurrected churches” (774). The way that this story wrestled with pain and suffering showing how Christ can redeem even the most horrendous situations gave me so much hope. The book’s exploration of memory was truly remarkable and I enjoyed the references to the Odyssey and St. Augustine. I also don’t really know how to describe it but the way in which the main character comes to see the world and the power of words and memory is just so similar to the way in which I see it that I just really resonated with him. Highly highly recommend!
Who are you?
Where have you come from?
Where are you going?
I am here
I am here
I am here
April 21, 2020
Of the books I have ever logged in goodreads - I have neither given a star review or any written praise or critique. But I have to stop, at least briefly, for this novel -though I will say little other than there will never be a book I could ever recommend as strongly as this one. If you have any interest in historical fiction, poetry, politics, travel, love, grief, or the human journey... dive in. Do not be afraid by its size. Dive in.
April 23, 2017
Powerful, beautiful, captivating story. There's a few things about O'Brien's style that kind of annoy me and I wasn't a big fan of the last 50 or so pages, otherwise I was close to giving it 5-stars. Nevertheless, it was difficult to put the book back on the shelf, knowing I'll never be able to experience it all "for the first time" again. That's always a sign of a good book
January 10, 2026
“The journey is not for knowledge, but for hope.” I think I read the entire book just for these words to pierce me! I finished this book on the last day of a Jubilee Year that did just not go well. It gave me a purified understanding of hope- not in things that I hope for because they are good for me, but hope in the Resurrection and the coming of my beloved. Josip’s journey cannot be explained in words; it must be experienced. I will definitely come back in a few years because I know I missed 80% of the symbolism the first time around.
February 22, 2025
By far my favorite of Michael O’Brien’s so far. It’s heart wrenching. It’s hopeful. It’s unbelievable. It’s redeeming. Josip’s life comes full circle so beautifully and tenderly and is proof that the Lord truly wants to redeem all things in our lives! What a mystery each person’s life is, and yet God knows us so intimately and personally. This book has retaught me how to live in hope and wonder again!
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