I thought of those big, scholarly words and phrases like «post-colonialism», «psycho-analitical critique», «feminism critique»; words and phrases I could use to characterize this book, to define it, determine its context, intention, audience, virtues and flaws and everything else that usually goes with the territory, but then I gave up. It would go too far and who knows if I'd be able to get myself out of it.
However, the thought of defining it stuck with me, because this is precisely what this bookis about, definition and identity.Issues of definition, of how we become who we are, have only recently gained attention outside the sphere of philosophical antropology. Family, upbringing, state, socially acceptable behaviour – they are all pieces of an ideological mechanism that later, consequently, determine our identity. These are the issues this book deals with, even if only on an artistic level. Sensitive to colors, Kitty grew up in a big house with her painter father and four brothers, but no mother. Losing her child and her womb causes her to turn to introspective analysis, which then results in greater and greater chaos and revelation of various hidden and burried family secrets. When I put it like this, the book sounds no different from various other family novels out there (most of which are in Orah's Book Club!), but, as always, the beauty comes from within. How does one cope with the new found knowledge that the world you knew all your life isn't what you thought it was? How does one cope when every single thing, even the most ridiculous detail like a glance of a passer-by, washing dishes or walking down the street, suddenly holds completely different meaning; when once again we are like children faced with infinite space, without a sign-post, without experince, accompanied with nothing but our own bitterness, perhaps repressed but present nonetheless? Actually, this is in fact a family novel. However, there are no caring mothers filled with affection present here. There are no white picket fences or pathetic love stories. There are no bold and proud women who casually manage all obstacles set out for them by a cruel men's world. The issue the author chose to deal with is the issue of roles. Suprisingly, it has nothing to do with the role of a woman in a dominantly patriarchal society; the author actually ponders roles of individuals and their relations to oneanother inside a predetermined community. Ten chapters, perfect for ten longlasting meditations. |
