Monday, December 14, 2009

Lovesong


Author: Alex Miller Publication Date: 2009 Category: Fiction Who'll want to read it? Readers who enjoy a story told with emotion, compassion, love and tolerance. Also how immigrants and travellers can put down roots in a foreign land and try to carve out a life for themselves through their stubborness, memories, ignorance, customs and hope for a different life or the hope in returning back to the motherland. Point of no return: Before the story starts there is this - I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, by the gazelles or the wild does: do not stir up or awaken love until it is ready! THE SONG OF SOLOMON adjure -to command or enjoin solemnly, as under oath "adjoining her in the name of God to declare the truth" I was also eagerly awaiting Millers next book after" Landscape of Farewell". Classic line: 'Love's never simple. You know that. Dad.' p 8 'We'll have a wonderful life,' he said 'Whatever we do. I just know we will. It doesn't matter what we do' p 74 What's it all about? A small Tunisian cafe called 'Chez Dom' in Paris is a home away from home for the North African immigrant workers at the great, smelly and bloody abattoirs of Vaugirard. The cafe is run by the recently widowed Houria and her young niece Sabiha. It is by chance that John Patterner, a lost Australian traveller seeks shelter in the cafe from a sudden storm and so meets Sabiha, and their love story unfolds. Years later John meets Ken, an ageing writer. John confides his story to Ken and what happened to him and Sahiba at Vaugirard. Ken also sees the potential for one last simple love story but is love simple??? Miller has the ability to take you into the human hearts of his characters , their failings, aspirations, desires, fears and misgivings. Publisher: Allen & Unwin

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