From the Bookshelf of The Roundtable…

Embers

Sándor Márai

Start date: December 1, 2015

Finish date: December 30, 2015

Discussion: International Book Group Read

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International Book Group Read

International Book Read - Embers (December 2015)
By Sera · 91 posts · 41 views

last updated Jan 13, 2016 06:05AM

International Book Read - My Brilliant Friend (August 2015)
By Sera · 64 posts · 53 views

last updated Sep 05, 2015 06:30PM

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What Members Thought

Dec 05, 2015 El rated it liked it

Shelves: 1001-books-list, eastern-central-european-lit, 20th-centurylit-early

For a long time in our lives, we knew people back in our younger days, and then lost track of them for one reason or another, occasionally thinking "I wonder whatever happened to...". There was not always a way of knowing whatever happened to some people, especially if you moved away from home and didn't have any mutual friends any more.

But then Facebook happened. And the world rejoiced because we could suddenly become "friends" with people we knew a gazillion years ago, see that their lives are For a long time in our lives, we knew people back in our younger days, and then lost track of them for one reason or another, occasionally thinking "I wonder whatever happened to...". There was not always a way of knowing whatever happened to some people, especially if you moved away from home and didn't have any mutual friends any more.

But then Facebook happened. And the world rejoiced because we could suddenly become "friends" with people we knew a gazillion years ago, see that their lives are awesome (or suck) and that they are more awesome than we remember (or suck more than we remember). Sometimes they have different religious or political beliefs and occasionally we think "Wow, I can't believe they just said that."

This book is from that time before Facebook.

That's right, children - there used to be a world before Facebook. People would have to meet in person and have actual conversations. With their mouths. Face-to-face. It was crazy back then.

Written in 1942 by a Hungarian man (I say that because I always thought the author was female though I have no idea why I thought that), it's a short-and-sweet novel about an elderly general who has an old buddy over for dinner. It's been some 40+ years since they've seen each other, their friendship ending all those years ago. And as they share their time together now, the story of their friendship (and their bromance breakup) is slowly unfolded to us, the reader.

And, of course, there was a woman at the root of all the problems. Because that's what we do, as women. We cause all the problems.

The story is actually rather pretty. There are lovely phrases, rather philosophic in parts, really kind of smart.

But I didn't love it.

I know, I know, what the fuck, right. It has all the right components, but I felt that in the end it's just not a story that will stick with me the way it will for a lot of other readers.

It's a slow novel, a short novel, and it reads quickly. It's one of those books that I would sort of consider a "quiet novel", in that there's not a whole lot going on, but what is going on is rather incisive. But unlike other "quiet novels" that I have loved, this one failed to wrap me in its arms like a warm blanket.

Worth a read, however, and it won't take long for you to read it. ...more

18 likes · Like · see review

Jan 28, 2015 Gill rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites

This is the second time I have read this book, and I'm even more impressed second time around. It can be appreciated as a beautifully written story linked to the period near the end of the AustroHungarian Empire. But it is also about life, death, love, hate, friendship, ageing, truth, betrayal and much more beside. I could read each page again and again. ...more

18 likes · Like · see review

Dec 18, 2015 Susanna - Censored by GoodReads rated it liked it

A very odd tale, but beautiful writing. I can't give it more stars than this, because overall the plot doesn't make sense. ...more

3 likes · Like · see review

Mar 15, 2015 Lise Petrauskas rated it it was amazing

Shelves: novels, 20th-century-fiction, eastern-europe

I flew through this one.

Embers reminds of a bit of books I've read recently: Notes from Underground and The Kreutzer Sonata and even more so of The Posthumous Memoirs of Brás Cubas. All three of these books have somewhat of a frame story that seems to exist mostly for the purpose of allowing a narrator to disclose a bunch of sweeping metaphysical observations of life that are the result of retrospection. In this case, The General, is not exactly a first person narrator, but huge portions of the ...more

2 likes · Like · see review

Nov 10, 2015 Kai Coates rated it really liked it

Shelves: group-the-roundtable

There were parts of this book that I really enjoyed and felt were very well-crafted. Then there were large chunks when I thought it would serve the General right if Konrad dropped dead in the middle of his soliloquy. The writing was very atmospheric and full of allusions. I am a sucker for stories that circle around moments in time (Parade's End, The Alexandria Quartet) from differing perspectives, however not a fan of books where the main characters preach at each other (Henderson the Rain King ...more

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Nov 17, 2015 Wendy rated it liked it

Shelves: in-translation, twisted-love, 1001-books

I liked the writing and general atmosphere, and some of the vivid dramatic moments got my blood pumping, but overall I can't generate much enthusiasm for Embers. Like K. in Kafka's The Castle (which I read just before this one), the characters here seem stuck in a whirlpool of futility, in this case of their own making. A general confronts an old friend for wronging him 40 years ago, he monologues for a hundred pages or so, and there is no resolution from any of this -- I guess that's realistic? ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Nov 21, 2015 Pamela rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: boxall-1001-read

The General waits in his secluded castle for a visitor - once his best friend, but estranged from him for over 40 years. Over the course of a single evening, their discussion reveals a story of passion, betrayal and alienation, but also offers a chance to understand and accept the events of the past.

This is a beautifully written story, evocative and poignant. The settings are skilfully and elegantly described, whether it is the military school in Vienna or the gloomy castle in the forest. The pl ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Jan 12, 2016 Susan rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 1001-books, world-lit-europe-austria, world-lit-europe-hungary, found-in-translation, 20th-century, ww1, 2016

It seems that the three star rating is generous. The words are beautiful but about halfway they just dragged.

This is a book of extremes. There is love, there is friendship, betrayal and foolish pride.

It may be that I am not familiar enough with the area during the time period to fully appreciate the nuances conveyed. So this is a tale that I will consider revisiting again one day.

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