The Tiger's Wife is 2011 novel by Téa Obreht, set in a pair of unnamed post-Yugoslav Balkan countries. Earlier in the summer Obreht was awarded the Orange Prize for Fiction for this book. There, that's the background to the book out of the way, now time for the talky bit.
The Tiger's Wife is a multi-faceted book about the relationship between a young, female doctor and her retired grandfather, the grandfather's childhood in a remote village which wasx enlivened by the arrival of a strange creature, a recount of the aftermath of Ottoman rule in the Balkans, the recent Balkan wars, and a tale of how myth and folklore entwines intself into human life. While not strictly falling into the categories of historical fiction or magical realism, this novel has more than a passing acquaintance with the two forms.
THe book alternates between more mundane elements such as recollections of the narrator Natalia's childhood and teenage years before and during the Balkan war, including her weekly trips to the city zoo with her grandfather to see the tigers and the story of the tiger's wife, a deaf-mute girl in the grandfather's childhood village, all the way to the fantastical meetings between the grandfather and Gavran Gaile, the nephew of Death, as man who is unable to die. The novel also recounts the stories of the various villagers who play a part in the tale of the tiger's wife and the trials of a family to locate the body of a man who died in the Balkan war, whose spirit they believe is cursing them.
All in all Obreht creates an interesting story with characters that draw you in and make you care about them. The setting is vague enough that I'm not certain where exactly in the Balkans the story is meant to be taking place, which may be the intent of the writer. Whatever the intent, the vagueness does not diminish the story but makes it somewhat more universal. I can see why the book one the awards it has as it is a very enjoyable read that nicely melds the natural with the more otherworldly. I definitely recommend this book to anyone who wants somethign a bit out of the ordinary.
The Tiger's Wife is a multi-faceted book about the relationship between a young, female doctor and her retired grandfather, the grandfather's childhood in a remote village which wasx enlivened by the arrival of a strange creature, a recount of the aftermath of Ottoman rule in the Balkans, the recent Balkan wars, and a tale of how myth and folklore entwines intself into human life. While not strictly falling into the categories of historical fiction or magical realism, this novel has more than a passing acquaintance with the two forms.
THe book alternates between more mundane elements such as recollections of the narrator Natalia's childhood and teenage years before and during the Balkan war, including her weekly trips to the city zoo with her grandfather to see the tigers and the story of the tiger's wife, a deaf-mute girl in the grandfather's childhood village, all the way to the fantastical meetings between the grandfather and Gavran Gaile, the nephew of Death, as man who is unable to die. The novel also recounts the stories of the various villagers who play a part in the tale of the tiger's wife and the trials of a family to locate the body of a man who died in the Balkan war, whose spirit they believe is cursing them.
All in all Obreht creates an interesting story with characters that draw you in and make you care about them. The setting is vague enough that I'm not certain where exactly in the Balkans the story is meant to be taking place, which may be the intent of the writer. Whatever the intent, the vagueness does not diminish the story but makes it somewhat more universal. I can see why the book one the awards it has as it is a very enjoyable read that nicely melds the natural with the more otherworldly. I definitely recommend this book to anyone who wants somethign a bit out of the ordinary.
"I mean, if everyone had a soul, there would be no contrast by which we could appreciate it. For giving us this perspective, we thank you." - Nate
The Tiger's Wife by Téa Obreht.
- 22/08/2011 11:52:48 PM
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*NM*
Re: I picked this up a few days ago, liked the blurb. Thanks for the review! *NM*
- 08/09/2011 05:50:32 AM
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