REVIEW: The History of Love

I love it when a book surprises me and is so much better than I hoped. ⁠

The two point of view characters in this book are fourteen-year-old Alma and eighty-something Leo Gursky. One or both may be an unreliable narrator. They don’t know each other, but a book being translated by Alma’s mother will bring them together.

The structure of the novel is unique. It is all very quirky and odd. There is a book within a book. Alma’s chapters are numbered lists. One of the POV characters has a very abrupt way of talking. And yet. But. The characters are very endearing to me and I got very emotional when I finished the story.

I picked this book for book club and, sadly, not everyone loved it as much as I did. I can see how of the peculiarities in this book might be annoying to some, but it worked for me - I loved it! I almost didn't read this book, and it ended up being a new favourite.⁠ I will probably read it again some day. 

⁠History of Love

Nicole Krauss

Published April 1st 2005 by W. W. Norton & Company

255 pages

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