"Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!"
Book Details:
Author: Alex Landragin
Series: Standalone
Genres: General Fiction(Adult), Literary fiction
Page Count: ___
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
To be Published: 28 July, 2020 (On Goodreads, May 2019 is shown; a bit confused)
Blurb:
Alex Landragin's Crossings is an unforgettable and explosive genre-bending debut—a novel in three parts, designed to be read in two different directions, spanning a hundred and fifty years and seven lifetimes.
On the brink of the Nazi occupation of Paris, a German-Jewish bookbinder stumbles across a manuscript called Crossings. It has three narratives, each as unlikely as the next. And the narratives can be read one of two ways: either straight through or according to an alternate chapter sequence.
The first story in Crossings is a never-before-seen ghost story by the poet Charles Baudelaire, penned for an illiterate girl. Next is a noir romance about an exiled man, modeled on Walter Benjamin, whose recurring nightmares are cured when he falls in love with a storyteller who draws him into a dangerous intrigue of rare manuscripts, police corruption, and literary societies. Finally, there are the fantastical memoirs of a woman-turned-monarch whose singular life has spanned seven generations.
With each new chapter, the stunning connections between these seemingly disparate people grow clearer and more extraordinary. Crossings is an unforgettable adventure full of love, longing and empathy.
My Review:
~~~May contain spoilers~~~
This was a mind-grippingly written tale with an astounding premise. I give this 4/5 stars. Also, my e-book addition did not always track to the next segment correctly and it exasperated me for sure.
I read the book twice- first the Baroness sequence and then, the conventional way- with a day gap between the readings. I think most of the readers would have tried the BS first too. I didn't know what to expect while reading the BS but I loved it for sure; it would've been too annoying and irate if not for Landragin's brilliant writing, so kudos for that to him. I can imagine loads and loads of planning going into setting the alternate sequence alone. The bookbinder advises that there are ‘at least seven’ ways to interpret the text; my imagination immediately went into overdrive upon reading this line.
The opening sentence- I didn’t write this book. I stole it. - sets the tone for the rest of the book: beguiling, epic and complex. The Baroness Sequence is confusing and hard to follow at times but I found it more enjoyable than the Conventional way. Yes, the flow of the tale in the BS was rather abrupt but still, the undercurrent of expectations and thrill never vanished. On the other hand, by the time, I had reached the third part of the CW, I still wanted to know what happened next but the level of anticipation was lesser as compared to that of BS. It was because the last part paled in comparison to the preceding two parts:a bit boring, if one says so.
[I don't wanna give away the plot, so I'm keeping it rathervague]
This was an intoxicating adventure that showcased both the highs and lows of an all-consuming and rule-breaking love story. It took the adage- “the eyes are the windows to the soul” to a whole another level. The characters were well fleshed out and the plot was neatly written and rather nicely executed. The story's charm is further enhanced when one realizes that tale here is told rather than shown and is reminiscent of traditional oral storytelling. I appreciated the way historical personalities and events were woven in throughout the narrative.
The ending left me mighty unsatisfied. I wanted more... Also, let me say, I preferred the ending of the Baroness sequence more than that of the conventional one.
Final Thoughts?
