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A young American goes to Ukraine to find the woman who saved his grandfather
2002Steady paceMelancholic
What it is about
A young American named Jonathan Safran Foer travels to Ukraine to find the woman who saved his grandfather during the war. His guide is a local student, Alex, whose comical, broken English narrates much of the book. The story also moves back to the history of a small Jewish town.
Who will enjoy it
Readers who like inventive literary debuts.
What you will get
A bold, playful debut that turns very sad. It was adapted into a 2005 film.
Everything Is Illuminated Facts: Pages, Genre and Setting
Genre
Literary Fiction · Holocaust · Family history · Humor
Length
276 pages · ≈ 8 h
More about this book
Characters
Jonathan, Alex, Alex’s grandfather and a dog named Sammy Davis Jr., Jr.
Setting
Ukraine, today and in the past.
What makes it different
The comic narration and the tragic history are woven into one story.
Feel
Funny and heartbreaking.
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