This is one of those books that I have wanted to read for ages, more out of curiosity than anything else. I have never watched the film, and had no idea what the plot was about, and the title certainly didn't enlighten me any more!
It tells a story set in Cephallonia over a period of nearly 80 years, mainly focusing on a woman called Pelagia (though the tale begins through the eyes of her father Iannis, the village doctor). Her mother died when she was young, and the two have a very special bond. The book takes place during the Italian/ German occupation in the Second World War, and initially Pelagia is in love and betrothed to a local man called Mandras, but he is changed after he is sent to war, and the pair never actually marry. Instead, Pelagia falls in love with one of the Italian Captains stationed on the island (and resident at their house), Antonio Corelli. This is not a quick occurence, and therefore acts as the main anchor for the plot.
It is difficult to explain the story, as it revolves around daily life, and social politics etc, so if I were to say in detail what happens, it probably wouldn't urge you to read it. But it is very cleverly written, so that it makes you learn about history, philosophise about life and its meanings, engage with the characters, laugh out loud and mourn for fictional deaths. At times it is shocking, and other times it is romantic. As a reader, it takes you on a complete life journey with Pelagia, from her being a young girl fresh out of school, to an elderly grandmother filled with regret. This is seen when towards the end, she says:
'I sit here and I remember former times. I remember music in the night, and I know that all my joys have been pulled out of my mouth like teeth. I shall be hungry and thirsty and longing forever. If only I had a child, a child to suckle at the breast, if I had Antonio. I have been eaten up like bread. I lie down in thorns and my well is filled with stones. All my happiness was smoke.'
It really is a wonderful book, and I am glad I didn't judge it by the cover, as the copy I have makes it looks like a typical romance novel. It approaches love in a more realistic and attainable sense I feel, as opposed to an idealistic way such as in other novels. I particularly like the way Iannis describes the love between himself and his deceased wife to Pelagia, when he is urging her to think carefully about whether Corelli is The One.'Love is not breathlessness, it is not excitement, it is not the promulgation of promises of eternal passion, it is not the desire to mate every second minute of the day, it is not lying awake at night imagining that he is kissing every cranny of your body... That is just being "in love", which any fool can do. Love itself is what is left over when being in love has burned away, and this is both an art and a fortunate accident. Your mother and I had it, we had roots that grew towards each other underground, and when all the pretty blossom had fallen from our branches we found that we were one tree and not two. But sometimes the petals fall away and the roots have not entwined.'
No comments:
Post a Comment