Comment

Jul 21, 2018xiaojunbpl12 rated this title 2.5 out of 5 stars
Though Caroline’s narrative (New York stories and her affair with a French celebrity) appealed to me, such a conjured up book title may disappoint or infuriate readers who consider a serious subject were smooched as to cater a different mass market. Herta had some brilliant narratives in the first half of the book, esp. her younger days when molested. I was hoping to see more, even fictionalized episodes to convince about her transition, psychological numbness, and illusory dignity, but she was simply gone and taken over by others cursing her monster. Kasia, the only fictional character out of three, had my interests in the beginning, for a country suffered both during the war and behind the iron curtain, but her narratives became less and less engaging my senses. I admire author’s ambition to bring forth a historical tragedy and war crime, encouraging as many people as possible to learn what otherwise be left in obscurity. The usage of local lingo (French, German, Polish) mixed in each narration showed extensive research conducted and certain linguistic talent (though bewildered me sometimes). But overall it was felt a compilation of news storytelling in chronological order from three perspectives, lack of shared suspense and room for imagination.