While the Gods Were Sleeping by Erwin Mortier
The story of the First World War told through the eyes of Helena, a young woman in love with a British soldier, who in her diaries tries to master words in order to describe the indescribable ...
Mortier writes so well that you are inclined to see everything else as of secondary importance NRC Handelsblad A monumental, phenomenal book De Morgen Splendid control of language de Volkskrant An astonishing book.. leads us deep into everyday life during the First World War. and does this so impressively that it seems the author has experienced it himself. Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung If Marcel Proust had a descendant somewhere in Flanders, he must have been born in Ghent. Knack The author skilfully reconstructs the crepuscular atmosphere of an era that ends with the shipwreck of a civilisation, but, paradoxically, also with the sensual awakening of a young girl. Figaro Threads the heavy folds of history with the needle of poetic sensibility Livres hebdo 'Multi-layered' is too bland a word for this subtle, sophisticated novel, which moves between different times with such aplomb that the reader never loses the thread. Buchmarkt Visceral and heart-stopping... deeply and painfully moving... one of the finest war stories ever written NewBooks Almost too beautiful a writer... the footprint of Proust visible on every page Financial Times Sumptuously imagined Independent (Books of the Year) A beautifully unorthodox novel of the Great War... a kaleidoscopic palette Independent Sumptuously lyrical We Love This Book Each scene has the dexterity and the abundance of a Vermeer... Mortier distills time... Epic Wexford Echo Mortier is superb... a poised consideration of war's long impact on feeling and faith Kirkus Reviews A very un-Proustian portentousness... a work of prodigious symbolism... extraordinary set pieces TLS Mortier has translated Virginia Woolf, and her vatic inventories of domestic life echo in his writing... The book is the pearl that results from these shining accretions. New Yorker
Erwin Mortier (1965) made his mark in 1999 with his debut novel Marcel, which was awarded several prizes in Belgium and the Netherlands, and received acclaim throughout Europe. In the following years he quickly built up a reputation as of one the leading authors of his generation. His novel While the Gods were Sleeping received the AKO Literature Prize, one of the most prestigious awards in the Netherlands. His latest work, Stammered Song Book, a mother's book of hours,' a raw yet tender elegy about illness and loss, was met with unanimous praise. Mortier's evocative descriptions bring past worlds brilliantly to life.
| SKU | Unavailable |
| ISBN 13 | 9781782270171 |
| ISBN 10 | 1782270175 |
| Title | While the Gods Were Sleeping |
| Author | Erwin Mortier |
| Condition | Unavailable |
| Binding Type | Hardback |
| Publisher | Pushkin Press |
| Year published | 2014-07-03 |
| Number of pages | 368 |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | Unavailable |