May 242013
The Storyteller
Some stories live forever . . . Sage Singer is a baker. She works through the night, preparing the day’s breads and pastries, trying to escape a reality of loneliness, bad memories, and the shadow of her mother’s death. When Josef Weber, an elderly man in Sage’s grief support group, begins stopping by the bakery, they strike up an unlikely friendship. Despite their differences, they see in each other the hidden scars that others can’t, and they become companions. Everything changes on th
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forgiveness and redemption; a Holocaust survivor, her descendant and those responsible,
Picoult, once again, tackles difficult subject matter–the Holocaust, as seen from the perspective of a Holocaust survivor, her granddaughter and a former German SS guard. Those familiar with Picoult’s work will find what they’ve come to expect in terms of the novel’s structure: a narrative told from several points of view and a legal perspective. As always, Picoult did her research, and her historical accuracy is thorough. In “the Storyteller” Picoult examines the impact of the holocaust in present day society, as survivors left to tell their stories are now scarce and their relevance is lost on some. In an early scene, an unworldly blind date scoffs at the thought of “a war that happened 70 years ago” in a dismissive tone.
Sage Singer, the granddaughter of a Holocaust survivor, spends her nights baking and her days quietly living out her life in a small New England town. Her grandmother never speaks of her time in Poland during WWII, and Sage herself is a non practicing Jew. She does not give much thought to her grandmother’s past or her own heritage until she befriends an elderly gentleman from her grief group. As Sage and Josef become closer and his long buried past as a German SS guard is discussed with Sage, forgiveness, retribution and ultimately redemption surface.
To say more about how “the Storyteller” unfolds and whether forgiveness can be granted in such a situation, would be to reveal too much of the plot. Instead, I’d advise you to grab a copy of this book and settle in for few days of reading. You will walk away with a heavy heart, and some questions of your own.
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|Making you think from page 1 to the end,
This was the first book I read by this author, and I am amazed by the quality of her writing skills! She is a wonderful Author, and is not afraid to write about what she feels like writing. She approaches these questionable and controversial subjects with caution and correctly, and Picoult does it so well. I read this book surprisingly quickly which I feel that I need to go back and re-read it to get more detail from the book.
The story is all about the deepest of secrets that were never told to anyone. This story goes deep into issues, and it gets in deep very fast. The plot really gets you into the book. The main topic of the book is can people be forgiven for extremely dark acts. The plot of the story has twists and turns, choices made, and a twist that will really get you further into the book. When reading the book i suggest putting yourself in Sage’s place and think what you would have done differently or if you could have done it.
Truly a great book, and I will be looking back at some of the other stories Jodi Picoult has written. I really enjoyed her writing, and look forward to anymore books she comes out with.
Great job Author and yes I would recommend this book.
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|“Inside each of us is a monster; inside each of us is a saint.”,
Picoult has never flinched back from the most difficult of topics. Her books heads directly into controversy which are backed with meticulous scholarship. In “The Story Teller”, Sage has been asked to forgive a recent friend for his past as a Nazi. And he wants her to kill him. Sage is Jewish, descended from victims of the camps. She lives quietly with her own secrets and with her scar which she considers disfiguring. She rarely lets people inside her mental walls.
The story is narrated by Sage, by the secret Nazi, and by a mysterious girl living in the forest afraid of great evil. Sage’s granmother finally consents to add her own narrative.As you would expect, the writing is accessible and flows evenly. The plot draws us in immediately. The conundrums are complex and insistent. As Picoult notes, “this could be you , too. You think, not I. But at any given moment, we are capable of doing what we least expect.” Is this true? I wish I could swear that it is not. But as the survivors and victims of the Holocaust approach death and disappear, the question is a vital one that must be asked. Added to the Holocaust deniers who claim the camps were never true, this is a topic that is imperative. Bearing witness is part of this book, how to mend the world is another.
It is easy to dismiss Picoult with her repetitive plot of a family and a narrator pressed heavily with moral decisions. She is a popular writer, the death knell for many critics. But I find her work compelling and I don’t mind the repetitive structure. These characters are complex and beautifully drawn. We could pick Sage from a crowd, and not due to her scar. Rather her hiding of her scar makes her distinctive. Josef Weber is the man who has spent his life in New Hampshire has been one of service; but he reveals to Sage a past that is perhaps the ultimate evil. The plot enmeshes the reader in the first few pages, and the ending is far from clear. I need to stop here on that count to avoid spoilers.
I respect this book, and am heading off to work mumbling to myself, high praise from me, after a sleepless night of reading. If you love Picoult’s work, you will reinforced. If you are new to her writing, you will find a writer who skillfully brings us to our most difficult selves.
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