I liked how this novel, although it was separated into 3 parts, tied together. Some of the other texts we’ve gone over throughout the semester have been confusing or difficult to put together due to uncertain timelines, memory rambling, or whatever it may be. This one seemed to stay on track for the most part.

The opening of the first page was interesting. I enjoyed the narrator’s way of exposing his personality, by playing – what seemed like – a game of 2 truths and a lie. When the point of view of a story is like the main character is talking to you, it sometimes can feel like they’re just talking at you, but this helped with keeping me engaged because he was representing himself naturally. Like how one corrects themselves in the middle of their sentences. It made the experience more personal.

However, for the actual story I didn’t find it very intriguing. I can appreciate the chain of events and lengths the narrator went to within their journey, but I found the presentation of information more enjoyable. It reminded of a more typical storytelling. Giving information piece by piece as you found it at the time. Though sometimes writers can overdo it by providing information too easily, I felt like Cercas executed it well.

One thing that stood out to me was the literal presentation of text page by page. It could have just been the PDF version I had, but there would be pages completely filled (like a wall of text – which I usually don’t like) then after a while a couple of pages would have a slightly larger font size and give insight to what the author had just written. At first it was annoying, but it grew on me. It allowed a break from what could seem overwhelming and acted as little tidbits that provided context. To say the least it was very different, but I like different.

I haven’t really said much about the content or plot of the story, I guess because I didn’t find it that interesting (as I said above). I will say though, that for something once again regarding war, it added a slightly different element. As it speaks of how Mazas was set free with the help of another soldier and the innerworkings of war.

My question for this novel is, how did you react to the way Cercas presented his story? Did you find it to not leave enough to the imagination or was it just enough? I think some may find it as telling to much, but it’s probably due to the narrator being a journalist and generally going from point to point.