Borders by Roy Jacobsen is a novel that delves into the concept of borders in various forms, using WWII as a backdrop to explore the fluidity of place and the impact of geographical and personal borders on individuals. The narrative follows a small group of connected villagers through different time periods, including WWII veterans Markus and Leon, as they navigate personal conflicts and relationships shaped by war and shifting boundaries. The author weaves together past and present, intertwining stories of bureaucratic struggles, familial bonds, and individual choices that challenge traditional notions of borders and loyalty.
The novel skillfully blends historical events with elements of magical realism, offering readers a thought-provoking exploration of the complexities of human relationships, the consequences of war, and the transformative power of storytelling. Jacobsen's writing style immerses readers in vivid settings, such as Luxembourg in the 1890s and the battlefields of Stalingrad, while creating a narrative that is both engaging and emotionally resonant.
From The Publisher:
A sweeping novel of World War II, set in the Ardennes, from the acclaimed author of Child Wonder
The Ardennes, a forested, mountainous borderland that spans France, Germany, Belgium, and Luxembourg, was crucial to Hitler's invasion of France and host to the Battle of the Bulge. In a small valley among these borders lives Robert, born of an affair between an American GI and the Belgian nurse who rescued him. In his father's absence, Robert finds a mentor in Markus Hebel, who has faked blindness ever since serving as a Wehrmacht radio operator in Russia. Markus, in turn, confides his secret to Robert-and then he tells the story of his own son, whose fanatical loyalty to Hitler left him trapped during the siege of Stalingrad. In Borders, Roy Jacobsen brilliantly layers these stories of impossible choices between familial love and national identity, culminating in a nuanced, probing novel of shifting wartime loyalties.
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