I picked this book up because I am about to go on a trip to the Czech Republic and wanted to read some of its acclaimed writers. This book took me a long time to get through-- it is the story of a man who grew up in Prague, lived in a Jewish ghetto during World War II and grew up and was slowly disillusioned with the Communist Party, his marriage, and his way of viewing the world. It is a long book, dense with psychological insights. Some references were hard to understand, and I'm not sure if that was a result of the Czech to English translation. In the end, I would say it was a good read and gave me insights into the Czech mind, but it was more challenging than sheer enjoyment. A good book to pick up if you are travelling to this part of the world, but not so much for a beach read.

Share/Like this Review?