Elie Wiesel

A Holocaust survivor struggles to come to terms with both the heroic and shameful events of his past, while his American-born son attempts to integrate his father's life and experiences with his own. Reprint.

The Forgotten

Jeni Enjaian

As I have found is typical of Wiesel's books, this narrative is depressing and starts off that way. This makes me feel quite sad for Wiesel as a person. His worldview shines through his books and I cannot imagine living life without hope. As to the book itself, it is hard to keep the timeline straight. The narrative alternates, at random intervals, between the memories and current events experienced by the son and the memories of his father. Despite the powerful potential of the subject matter, Wiesel skims the surface making it almost impossible to engage with the protagonists. THe point of the narrative is also lost in the muddle of text. I did not enjoy reading this book at all.