2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Poignant & beautifully written, 13 July 2007
By Anne B. Wiegle "Teacher in PA" - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: When the Tree Sings (Picador Books) (Paperback)
I first read this little book many years ago. It is one you will never forget. It describes the life of a boy in a small Greek village, first under the Nazi occupation, and then during the civil war that follows WWII. The author skillfully includes the hardships of life with the joys; the mysticism of ancient traditions and modern intrusions of technology and warfare. The imagery this book draws up makes it unforgettable.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Heartbreaking yet stunningly beautiful, 8 Dec 2009
By William Timothy Lukeman - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: When the Tree Sings (Mass Market Paperback)
The cover of this book is deceptively pastoral, because a world of casual brutality as well as timeless beauty awaits within its pages. Set in a Greek village during the Second World War, firmly under Nazi occupation, the story is seen & recalled through the memories of a boy, well aware of cruelty & injustice, yet also aware of the golden haze of tradition & imagination. It's written in remarkable prose, which utilizes bold, even harsh strokes of sunlight & shadow, while maintaining a gorgeous lyricism. The senses are all engaged in palpable detail & immediacy, so that the reader is there in the midst of all that happens. At times this is almost unbearable; but such is the author's skill that we continue reading anyway.
Recounted in short blocks of prose, which function like individual images of startling intensity, the story unfolds in a series of vivid memories. I hesitate to call it stream-of-consciousness, because while one image leads naturally to the next, there's never a sense of idle meandering or digression. The narrative thread isn't always visible, but it connects everything. There's a stark honesty here that seems completely Greek, reaching back to the poets of Homer's time. Even its delicate beauties are pitiless. Once read, it won't be forgotten -- highly recommended!