Chemarea lui Matei

by Florina Ilis

„La toate romanele mele de pina acum, titlul este o posibila cheie pentru descifrarea romanului. De pilda, Chemarea lui Matei este titlul unei picturi de Caravaggio, Chemarea Sfintului Matei. In aceasta lucrare, vine Iisus si-l cheama la el pe vamesul Matei. E o chemare pe care acesta o urmeaza imediat, se alatura lui Iisus;cind te cheama, il urmezi. Asa era atunci. In zilele noastre, sint foarte multe chemari, unele false, altele adevarate. Acest personaj al meu, Matei, este prins intr-o serie de chemari si este incapabil sa urmeze una dintre ele. Cred ca fiecare dintre noi, in vietile noastre, sintem pusi in imposibilitatea de a raspunde unor chemari, nu putem sa discernem. Astazi nu mai este asa de simplu cum era atunci, cind cineva iti intindea o mina si tu urmai calea Credintei.“ (Florina Ilis)

„E vorba aici de un ochi exersat sa vada dincolo de aparente, dar mai ales, e vorba despre forta. Aceasta e calitatea esentiala a Florinei Ilis. E o prozatoare puternica, in stare sa stapineasca vastele lumi stirnite scriptural, sa traga infinite sfori romanesti, sa lase sa se vada ici-colo urzeala, dar sa pastreze tot farmecul indicibil al fictiunii de buna calitate.“ (Irina Petras)

Genres: Romanian Literature

408 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2002

About the author

Florina Ilis is a member of a generation of prose writers who have gained recognition during the last few years. She has published a collection of haikus, Haiku şi caligrame (Haiku and Calligrammes, 2000), followed by two novels, both favourably received by literary critics and readers alike : Coborîrea de pe cruce (The Descent from the Cross, 2001) and Chemarea lui Matei (The Calling of Matthew, 2002). However, the book that has gained her most fame is Cruciada copiilor (The Children’s Crusade), published by Cartea Românească in 2005. The novel was deemed to be the most important Romanian literary work published in 2005, obtaining numerous prestigious awards and positive reviews in the the literary press. Florina Ilis recently published the novel Cinci nori coloraţi pe cerul de răsărit (Five Coloured Clouds in the Eastern Sky, 2006) at Cartea Românească.

Reviews

[Xandra · Rating 2 out of 5]

As much as I love Florina Ilis and her engaging writing style that reminds me somewhat of Saramago, this is a disappointing novel, trite, long and exhausting, about a programmer and his current and past lovers. I dislike the hackneyed idea of a male character obsessing over a bunch of women and brief remarks on religion, emigration, corruption and technology, meant to create some depth, have unsuccessful results. Ilarie from The Children’s Crusade appears as a secondary character and his whole presence is cringeworthy. Ultimately, no important message is being imparted, it’s the same old insufferable novel of obsession.
2.5