Play Book Tag discussion

A Constellation of Vital Phenomena by Anthony Marra - 4 stars

“For years he’d lived with the fear of murder, torture, or disappearance, as all men of his age did, and it was the senselessness that truly frightened him; that the monumental finality of death could come arbitrarily was more terrifying than the eternity to follow.”
- Anthony Marra, A Constellation of Vital Phenomena

Powerful narrative about the horrors of the wars in Chechnya, focusing on five days in the Second Chechan War in 2004 and flashing back to the prior ten years, including the First Chechan War. Havaa, an eight-year-old girl living in rural Chechnya, is rescued by a neighbor, Akhmed, after her father is abducted by Russian security forces. Akhmed, a barely competent doctor and artist, takes Havaa to a distant hospital, run by Sonja, a skilled doctor whose sister is missing. The story is a slowly-building patchwork quilt of characters and storylines. It is centered around interpersonal relationships and reactions to the chaos of war.

Marra’s writing is stellar and his characters are deeply drawn. The novel shifts back and forth in time, providing pieces of the story from different characters’ points of view. Themes include responses to fear, betrayal, the atrocities of war, moral conscience, the attempt to save others, and the desire to retain a shred of optimism in midst of relentless suffering.

Sensitive readers beware: I felt a bit queasy at times reading scenes of torture, castration, execution, amputation, human trafficking, and the aftermath of exploding landmines. It was a challenge in the beginning to continue to read about the carnage of war and humankind’s inhumanity to fellow humans but by the end I was glad to have endured. I admired the author’s skill at bringing together the interrelated personal stories into a cohesive whole. It was an emotionally draining story of people trying to retain compassion and hope in the wake of horrific brutality. Recommended to readers of literary historical fiction that can handle a large dose of darkness, misery, cruelty, and tragedy.

Link to my Goodreads review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

This one has a special place in my heart. I adored it.

Same. A very special book. Mind you, I loved ‘The Tsar of Love and Techno’ even more, which is saying something ... I will queue at the bookshop for anything Marra writes from now on

Susie wrote: "This one has a special place in my heart. I adored it."

Me, too, Susie. I adore Anthony Marra as well.

Great review, Joy. Good to warn sensitive readers. I advised my sister to read it and she had a hard time with some of the scenes.

I also was blown away by Constellation last year! I have it five stars and it made my top ten!

So nice to hear it is well-loved.

Booknblues wrote: "...Great review, Joy. Good to warn sensitive readers. I advised my sister to read it and she had a hard time with some of the scenes."

So nice to hear it is well-loved! I had heard good things about it so decided to put it on my TBR. I have a hard time reading graphic violence, so I always include warnings for sensitive readers. Even though the subject was difficult, I am glad I read it and my heart goes out to the Chechnyan people that endured such atrocities.

I also have The Tsar of Love and Techno on my TBR, so I will look forward to reading more from Marra at some point.

I will have to add this to my TBR-thanks for the warning Joy.
I have to be in the right frame of mind, but I will read this-wonderful review!

I have not even heard of this book. Love your review. I am going to add it to my TBR.

Rachel, last year Anthony Marra swept through PBT like a comet! His other book the Tsar of Love and Techno too was great. I had to read it twice though to appreciate it. I actually preferred Constellation. You could save these for the someday Chechnya tag - lol!