A Constellation of Vital Phenomena
2013 • 416 pages
Ratings16
Average rating4.6
15
Ratings16
Average rating4.6
A haunting novel set in a nearly abandoned hospital in war-torn Chechnya that is both intimate and ambitious in scope. Eight-year-old Havaa, Akhmed, the neighbour who rescues her after her father's disappearance, and Sonia, the doctor who shelters her over 5 dramatic days in December 2004, must all reach back into their pasts to unravel the intricate mystery of coincidence, betrayal and forgiveness which unexpectedly binds them and decides their fate. In his bold debut, Anthony Marra proves that sometimes fiction can tell us the truth of the world far better, and far more powerfully, than any news story. You will not forget the world he creates--A Constellation of Vital Phenomena and its characters will haunt you long after you turn the final page.
Reviews with the most likes.
I finished this book on the flight back from NYC and hid my tears.
I shamefully admit that I knew hardly anything about Chechnya. I knew it was a country close to Russia, and I knew there had been a war there. I didn't know about the persecution and absolute atrocities the people had to endure.
This book is a marvel. It made me laugh out loud and sob like a baby. It is both harrowing and hopeful. It is a beautiful story that is bound to stay with me for a long time. There are books you read for entertainment and to escape. Then there are books that matter. This book matters.
