Blog #8: A Fan Letter to Joe Kertes

Dear Mr. Kertes,
What a fantastic book you've written! Characters, characters, characters everywhere you turn, and a story clearly told by one of the best; what more could a reader ask for?
Let me say that, although Holocaust books are pretty much never on the list of things I'm reading at any particular moment, having only read one or two others of that genre that I recall, yours did an unfortunately wonderful job of striking home the horrid events of that period. The plethora of characters found in your novel, each with their own intricate and detailed back story, are all masterfully cast towards thier respective fates, whether that be a life long bond with another, or a gaping hole left where someone has been taken. For character and story/plot in your book, Mr. Kertes, you earn an eleven out of ten.
However, there was one thing about your book that I didn't particularly like. You took a stellar three hundred to four hundred page book, and turned it into a good, but titanic five hundred page beast for a slow reader like me. In my opinion, you too often tended towards over-doing descriptions, and lengthened out characters' thoughts and reflections inordinately. Your choice of words was impecable, but there were just too many of them, I think. You might have avoided that bit of criticism if you were, say, Charles Dickens, but as you were neither attempting to imitate his style, nor receiving a per-word paycheck, I found that flaw in your novel an unnecessary and unfortunate drag to the story.
Having read your novel, I can definitely say I remembered why I don't read Holocaust books: I don't like feeling bad. It's just not a pleasant feeling to remember what we as humans are capable of doing, and have done. I'm certainly not saying we should try to ignore it and forget about it, as that would be nearly as bad as commiting the act itself. However, I am saying that given a choice, reading a book of this nature in my spare time would not be at the top of my list! I personally would have chosen something a little lighter in subject and perhaps a little easier on the Dickens-esque descriptions.
Having said all that, your book really wasn't as bad as I might have made it seem. I did quite thouroughly enjoy it, and popped out the back cover glad that I had read it. At the least, I can say that I've rekindled my desire not to read another Holocaust book for a very long time!
Best regards, and good luck with the next book. I hope it's as good as Gratitude.

Will Barton