Therefore Choose

by Keith Oatley

On a summer visit to Germany, George, a young medical student at Cambridge, meets Anna von Kleist, whose intellectual force, beauty, and self-assurance smite him full in the heart. It is 1936. Hitler is already in power, and a shift has occurred in Germany that Anna, George, and their friend Werner have not fully grasped. Europe is on the cusp of war when the three find themselves in a painful love triangle that plays between England and Germany. Facing decisions that will forever alter the course of their lives, they must choose and live with the consequences of their choices. Reviewers have compared Oatley's pure, spare prose with that of A.S. Byatt and Umberto Eco. In Therefore Choose , his intimately rendered characters draw us irrevocably into their quest for meaning, hope, and understanding in a world diving headlong into chaos.

Genres: Fiction, Historical Fiction

270 pages, Paperback

First published April 23, 2010

Reviews

[Dianne · Rating 3 out of 5]

George is a medical student at Cambridge where he meets and becomes good friends with Werner, a German boy also attending Cambridge. In the summer of 1936, George travels with Werner to Werner's home where the growing military force is visible everywhere and political tensions are rising.

There Werner introduces George to his friend Anna and George falls in love. The rest of the book tells the story of how George, Werner and Anna's relationships develop and change in the pressure cooker that was Europe in the late 1930's and throughout the war.

I've read a lot of books set in wartime, but it isn't often we get a look at WWII from inside Germany and from the viewpoint of German citizens. The authour gives us an interesting glimpse into what war does to people and the kind of group thinking it is so easy to get caught up in. The book also looks at the dynamics of friendship and love and how they are altered by war and the decisions we have to make to survive.

I liked this book because it's a quiet story. There are no dramatic battle scenes or things blowing up; it's more the philosophy of war and friendship and love. The story unfolds in what the characters think, feel and discuss so it's not a page turner, but it is a thoughtful, insightful book, well written and well worth reading. I like quiet books. I love quiet books and would be happy to find more of them.

I would never have chosen this book because I really don't like the cover. Sad isn't it (me, not the cover)? Fortunately I won this copy in a contest hosted by John at bookmineset and since it's a Canadian authour (not born in Canada, but now living here) I decided to make it my first selection for the 5th Canadian Book Challenge, which is also hosted by the same site. So, thanks John; it was a very good read.

[Paul Secor · Rating 2 out of 5]

Picked up this novel in Canada last fall and just got around to reading it. It's primarily a novel of ideas, not something that usually grabs me. The ideas are ok - three individuals - two German and one English - who come together before WW 2, are separated by the war, and meet after the end of the war. Interesting concept, but unfortunately there's a lot of philosophical talk that doesn't ring true as dialogue. And the most interesting character - a free spirited Irish female psychiatrist - is dropped near the novel's conclusion. I expected more from this and didn't get it.