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Loading... Zoli (2007)by Colum McCann
Once again, Colum McCann deonstrates a gifted ability to tun a phrase and tell a story. Journey into the very soul of Zoli, fashioned after a famous Romany poetess. Travel Eastern Europe as she must survive by first being co-opted as a Gypsy spectacle then as a wounded, hunted, shunned victim of her times and her ancestry. Feel her pain, her joy, and her spiritual journey as revealed by McCann's elegant, soulful prose. Fabulous book! (  ) hemlokgang | Apr 8, 2013 |  There is so much of interest in this novel. I found the writing to be slightly inconsistent - sometimes really tight, sometimes not really moving the story along. McCann's ability to write the character and voice of someone so opposite himself is impressive. Zoli felt very authentic. (  ) BookishJoJo | Apr 6, 2013 | Zoli is the story of a Roma singer/poet in the time during and around WWII. I am not entirely sure of my opinion about this book. There are elements in the story that are quite powerful, especially the prosecution of the Roma. Then again, the parts where Zoli interacts with the men who make a poet out of her didn't grasp me at all. The writing style was at times beautiful, but other parts were too flowery for my taste. So my recommendation: if you're interested in the topics and don't mind flowery language, read this book and judge for yourself. (  ) SimoneA | Aug 17, 2012 | This is the first book I have read by this author and I will definitely be seeking more of his writing. This was also interesting to read after Far to Go by Alison Pick as they are both set inCzechoslovakia during WWII. There the similarity ends. McCann's writing creates vivid pictures of the Romani life during this period and the persecution these people suffered under fascist regimes. It is a poignant and fascinating tale beautifully expressed. The story is mainly narrated by Zoli, a gypsy singer and poetess, as she is encouraged to express the plight of her people through word and song, by a group of well-meaning intellectuals. But her people believe this is a betrayal of their cultural beliefs which causes the cessation of thei nomadic lifestyle and she is castout. We follow Zoli from chilhood to present day and the beauty of McCann's writing enables us to feel her pain. Highly recommended. (  ) HelenBaker | Aug 25, 2011 | living2read | May 22, 2011 | no reviews | add a review
Amazon.com Product Description (ISBN 0812973984, Paperback)A unique love story, a tale of loss, a parable of Europe, this haunting novel is an examination of intimacy and betrayal in a community rarely captured so vibrantly in contemporary literature.Zoli Novotna, a young woman raised in the traveling Gypsy tradition, is a poet by accident as much as desire. As 1930s fascism spreads over Czechoslovakia, Zoli and her grandfather flee to join a clan of fellow Romani harpists. Sharpened by the world of books, which is often frowned upon in the Romani tradition, Zoli becomes the poster girl for a brave new world. As she shapes the ancient songs to her times, she finds her gift embraced by the Gypsy people and savored by a young English expatriate, Stephen Swann. But Zoli soon finds that when she falls she cannot fall halfway–neither in love nor in politics. While Zoli’s fame and poetic skills deepen, the ruling Communists begin to use her for their own favor. Cast out from her family, Zoli abandons her past to journey to the West, in a novel that spans the 20th century and travels the breadth of Europe. Colum McCann, acclaimed author of Dancer and This Side of Brightness, has created a sensuous novel about exile, belonging and survival, based loosely on the true story of the Romani poet Papsuza. It spans the twentieth century and travels the breadth of Europe. In the tradition of Steinbeck, Coetzee, and Ondaatje, McCann finds the art inherent in social and political history, while vividly depicting how far one gifted woman must journey to find where she belongs. From the Hardcover edition. (retrieved from Amazon Tue, 19 Apr 2011 12:44:02 -0400) 'Zoli' is a novel based loosely on the true story of the gypsy poet Papusza, from the prize-winning author of 'Dancer', Colum McCann. |
LibraryThing AuthorColum McCann is a LibraryThing Author, an author who lists their personal library on LibraryThing. Author ChatColum McCann chatted with LibraryThing members from Mar 1, 2010 to Mar 14, 2010. Read the chat.
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