(please note Gentle Reader – that there was a review for this written earlier; however it somehow got lost or misplaced, and is now off in some cyberspace limbo – or hell. unfortunately that I now have/had to write a new review for this book. I had to go looking through the book again for the same (and hopefully) exact quotes, in order to once again achieve the same likeness of the reviews original and now its rewrite. I do apologize for this inconvenience and the fact that it may not turn out as good as the original.)
Hello Gentle Reader
Ersi Sotiropoulos is by no means a new name to this blog. Our first introduction to this avant-garde Greek novelist, short story writer, and poet; was through her short story collection “Landscape with Dog,” which in twenty ten, was longlisted for Three Percent’s Best Translated Book Award. This small and often powerful collection however did not make it to the shortlist. However during the preliminaries of the award, “Landscape with Dog,” was discussed in depth of why it should win the Best Translated Book Award. In the first paragraph, of this guest post, highlighting this amazing book and author Monica Carter, who was on the Fiction Committee for the Best Translated Book Award, had this to say about that book, and highlighting one of the greatest moments and achievements of Ersi Sotiropoulos’s career:
“Ersi Sotiropoulos, a virtuoso of postmodern Greek fiction, masters the short story in her collection, Landscape with Dog and Other Stories. Sotiropoulos, whose 2000 novel Zigzag through the Bitter-Orange Trees, won both the national Greek book award and the book critics award, continues to use her deft sense of psychological insight and poetic language to give us portraits of the intimate and the abstract.”
In just a quick and brief moment, and well chosen (and placed) words Monica Carter, summarizes Ersi Sotiropoulos’s writing style; but also mentions the fact that Ersi Sotiropoulos was the first writer to win “The National Greek Book Award,” and “The Book Critics Award,” for her amazing abstract, and at times comedic novel “Zig Zag Through the Bitter-Orange Tree’s.”
Ersi Sotiropolous recently is the author who has discussed the Greek Financial/Fiscal Economic Crisis. When talking to PBS Art Beat, Ersi Sotiropolous had described at first a sense of naivety and hope that the crisis would do away with material preoccupations in favour of fraternity and a simpler or unified human experience. In the interview though with Jeffery Brown Ersi Sotiropolous says the following:
“Yeah, yeah, yeah. At the beginning I thought the crisis could be beneficial, in a way. That it would get rid of many silly things. The idiotic consumerism, the fast lifestyles. I thought it would be a chance to rediscover things like friendship. But I was wrong. It was an illusion. I mean the crisis empties the wallets as well as the souls.”
In an essay titled “The View from Greece,” Ersi Sotiropoulos turns her deft sense of the psychological to the sociological and financial problems that are plaguing Greece. With the sense of melancholy and outrage, of someone seeing their country falling into ruin; but also with a sense of prescience, forewarns of a continual collapse of not only Greece but other countries. Already another Mediterranean country is falling into disarray because of “fiscal irresponsibility.” Italy, Greece and now Cyprus are all struggling to stay afloat. In a sense there is a feeling of outrage, on Ersi Sotiropoulos’s part. Before there was a feeling that finally Greece was going to join the European dream, and reap the benefits that other European Nations had. Yet now there is only a sense of point and blame. Demands for punishment and retribution, for the lack of care placed into the financial systems. Even over here, during the first wave of the economic meltdown, there was constant talk of Greece’s laziness. There was talk that the people only worked three hours a day, and worked for the government. Constantly suckling the teets of the social programs. However, looking at the issues from Ersi Sotiropoulos perspective it is more challenging and more difficult to truly judge and understand. All over Greece is suffering. People are suffering. As Ersi Sotiropoulos points out “the crisis empties the wallets as well as the souls,” – even she has found herself having to focus on herself, and take care of herself rather than be able to support other people or even help other people. She can’t. With all of this is caused then by the governments lack of handling problems more carefully, and with more thought. With quick and pressured decisions they have liquidated their country; forcing the residents to pay higher taxes that they cannot afford, all just to stay afloat. Demonstrations have blocked the days. Social programs have fallen apart. Garbage is piled up on the streets, and squatters have taken to making homes in abandoned and depleted buildings. Businesses are closing, and homes are foreclosing. The crisis has become a dark shapeless and abstract oppressor over the country, and its residents.
Knowing the present of what Greece is going through at times; make it difficult to remind oneself that this novel was published in the year two-thousand. At the turn of the century – when the twenty-first century just began. There is even a passing remark of the two-thousand and four Olympics of Athens. Holding that in mind, allows for one to read the book, not in the current predicament of Greece, but in the events that would surely lead up to it. At times it becomes difficult to imagine the two Greece’s; the optimistic and quiet, very short contemporary past; and the daunting present situation.
A preoccupation that runs throughout this novel, is how the four lives of the quartet of characters, intersect into each other. From Lia, the young girl dying of a rare disease in a hospital; to her brother Sid, the vague apathetic and slightly eccentric drifter; to Sotiris, the nurse; a man who is desperately fluctuating through almost bipolar amount of extremes, of cowardice and desire; and Ersi Sotiropolous’s voice herself in the form of the rebellious little writer Nina, who loathes the mundane aspects of life, and wishes to escape it all. In this novel Sotiropoulos presents how these wildly different characters, intersect with each other, in strange coincidences, as if fate itself. Truly one understands, just how small the world is.
What is some of the best of this book though is the language. At times it is poetic and lyrical; well written and encompassing a place unique in its own right. The fact that Ersi Sotiropoulos is a poet as well, as novelist and short story writer, allows for her to often use a strange and unique way of language. Free association of a comparison of images; and at times an indirect first person narrator; as well as moments where speech or a fictional characters writing is displayed, with no real hint other than dialogue to be displayed. A lot of the book relies on the reader. This makes for a unique and challenging book – yet completely approachable. Sotiropoulos does not shy away from the fact that she is an abstract writer of avant-garde work. This novel itself is not linear. Yet it is approachable. Its language is unique. Yet it is not full of word games, puns, neologisms, and a pastiche of a world of advertisements from television, the newspaper, magazines, and the bombardment of information. That is more Elfriede Jelinek’s work, where poetics and semantics of high and low culture, are paired with social commentary.
“She closed her eyes and pressed her fingers against her eyelids. Thousands of tiny fireflies flickered under the velvety skin, and her mind became a bright dome that darkened with breathtaking speed.”
Sotiropoulos’s use of language is grounded in the everyday, with a free association of metaphors and images; often allowing for the everyday to become a different aspect entirely. A description of the name of a lover’s name:
“Without making a sound, Nina would say his name again and again. Her lips half-parted, she would roll its first two consonants on the tip of her tongue, letting the rest flow out briefly, filling her mouth with a taste of strawberry ice cream.”
But it also the use of unique speech. Such as the Chinese man, who phones both Sid and Sotiris; asking if either one wants to subscribe to a publication:
“Intelest.
Subsclibing . . .
Tomorrow.”
This becomes a unique experience, later on. A symbol of coincidence, and a fact of authorial fate, on Sotiropoulos’s part; as the Chinese salesman – though poor at his job; at first is nothing more than a mere annoyance of day to day life, of both characters. This becomes a repetitive, motif, and later becomes a rather big deal. In the end it becomes just a small part of how the characters are intertwined and interwoven with each other; even in the smallest of details; and how the string of fate, is at times the least extraordinary.
Don’t be mistaken though. As with the stories of “Landscape with Dog,” – “Zig Zag Through the Bitter-Orange Tree’s,” is classic Sotiropoulos. Familiarity is disputed. Actions always have a slightly different feel to them. Constantly Sotiropoulos plays with the senses and instincts of the reader. Leaving a casual sense of violence, to scurry around the edges; always simmering under the inky black words. Almost creeping out around the edges. Yet never taking complete fruit or blooming entirely. Yet it is always there. Unsettling and disturbing.
“She put one arm round the puppy’s neck and hugged it close to her. With her free hand she took the knife and scratched a cross on her knee. I swear eternal love to you, she said silently. The puppy was panting quickly, impatient to be off. “That’s how it is, Blackie,” she said. “You’ve got know.” Then she licked the blade clean and put the knife back in its place.”
In all it’s a unique and wonderful piece of work. It straddles the line between readability and ambiguity with abstract concepts and language. In all though there is a constant sense of familiarity that keeps the reader comfortable. Yet with Sotiropoulos, this comfort is to be disturbed. Constantly a feeling of forbearance, is always casting its shadow, ever so slyly over the words. Yet despite this preoccupation, the comedic – in a dark manner of speaking; is apparent throughout this novel. That mixed with the poetic and semantic lyrically language, it all comes out to be a unique experience. The characters are drawn as they need to be, allowing for flexibility in narrative and their actions within it. Constantly allowing for a sense of authorial voice to be glimpsed. In the end Ersi Sotiropoulos delivered a remarkable piece of work. On a personal note I look forward to seeing more works by Sotiropoulos to be translated in to English like “Eva,” which won Athens Academy Prize in two-thousand and eleven and “Feeling Blue, Dress in Red,” was shortlisted for the Greek National Book Award.
Thank-you For Reading Gentle Reader
Take Care
And As Always
Stay Well Read
*And Remember: Downloading Books Illegally is Thievery and Wrong.*
M. Mary
