Gabriel then disappears after joining the military, and Adam begins a prolonged search for him with the help of a teenage employee, Na’im. While the search continues, Na’im lives with Gabriel’s grandmother, Veducha, and falls in love with Adam’s maverick daughter, Dafi.
Haifa, Israel |
The Lover is wrought with psychological tension. Yehoshua humanizes the broader Arab-Israeli struggles by highlighting more intimate unsettling coexistences. For example:
- Adam is not especially educated, but he’s wealthy and extravagant; Asya is a serious academic, but she’s embarrassingly frugal.
- Young, restless, Arab Na’im lives with and cares for old, immobile, Jewish Veducha.
- Secular Gabriel camouflages himself in the Orthodox community.
The mismatches lead to identity disorientation: Straight-laced Asya has a powerful libido and wild dreams. Veducha fancies Na’im a substitute grandson. Na’im starts feeling Jewish. Even the spunky blue Morris morphs into a black, belabored workhorse.
Yehoshua |
You may also begin to ask yourself, Is Gabriel necessarily “the lover”? The other relationships in the story - the youthful romance of Na’im and Dafi, an illicit event between Adam and a teenager, and the guarded tenderness between Veducha and Na’im - raise questions on the variations of “love.”
My apologies if I missed crucial elements. Like My Michael (which I reviewed in August 2011), The Lover is a Hebrew book, and I read an English translation. My understanding, therefore, is necessarily less than complete. While I’m not really qualified to comment on whether the translator (Philip Simpson) successfully captured the author’s original meaning and tone, I offer a small criticism, and this isn’t about Yehoshua specifically. All (three) Israeli books that I’ve read have been penetrative and poignant, but not one of them has been even peripherally lighthearted. They’re decidedly humorless, saturated in gloom. So, I ask those of you who are more familiar with Israeli literature, is this the cultural standard? Don’t any Israeli authors have a sense of humor? Help! Show me an Israeli book that’s smart and funny!
Best online/electronic take that can help expectant readers! I going to read book you discuss! Sorry english not so good! :-(
ReplyDeleteThanks!! I'm glad you're enjoying the blog! And your English is WAY better than my ... whatever your language is. (-:
ReplyDeleteNina, I think I am to blame here... Of course there are Hebrew books that are humorous and funny and light and what not, I just don't like them so much. I do have a recommendation for a book about the holocaust that has some really funny moments... (if you're up for it). I'll check if it has been translated to English.
ReplyDeleteI'd probably prefer a topic less gloomy than the Holocaust, but if it's the only one you like, then I'll take a look at it. It's not as if I've got a hundred other recommendations streaming in here. /-:
ReplyDeleteI've seen "Life Is Beautiful," so I know that comedy and tragedy can cohabitate, but still...
Your comment somewhat reinforces my suspicion. ("I know a funny Israeli book! It's about the Holocaust...")
Really, it's just me and my somber taste.... I found really good and not so "heavy" books by Amir Gutfreund, Yael Hedia, and Etgar Keret, and one I am sure you'll LOVE about biblical interpretation by Meir Shalev. It is wonderful.
ReplyDeleteYippee!!! Thanks, Michal!!
ReplyDeletequick and to the point..good job
ReplyDelete