Caging Skies
Ratings4
Average rating3.3
15
Ratings4
Average rating3.3
This extraordinary novel is seen through the eyes of Johannes, an avid member of the Hitler Youth in the 1940s. After he is severely injured in a raid, he discovers his parents are hiding a Jewish girl called Elsa behind a false wall in their large house in Vienna. His initial horror turns to interest, then love and obsession. After the disappearance of his parents, Johannes finds he is the only one aware of Elsa's existence in the house, the only one responsible for her survival. Both manipulating and manipulated, Johannes dreads the end of the war: with it will come the prospect of losing Elsa and their relationship, which ranges through passion and obsession, dependence and indifference, love and hate. This gripping, masterful work examines truth and lies at both political and personal levels, laying bare the darkest corners of the human soul.
Reviews with the most likes.
Great book I read after seeing Jo Jo Rabbit. I really think the movie did the right thing, ending at about halfway through the book. The second half is almost a different story, and really changes things, and is incredibly troubling and thought provoking.
If you want to read this book because of Jojo Rabbit don't bother.
Taika Waititi took the most palatable aspects of this book and radically transformed it into a dark comedy about acceptance and love gained through shared hardships. Caging Skies, on the other hand, is a book about a man so obsessed with a woman that he lies to her about the end of the war just to keep her in his possession. It's a deeply uncomfortable read because the author manages to weave historical fact expertly in amongst Johannes's obsession with Elsa. But it was never supposed to be comfortable; we are after all reading from the point of view of the abuser in this dynamic. And the World War Two setting with a Nazi protagonist obsessed with a Jewish girl hiding in his attic just heightened that uncomfortable feeling.
So even though I enjoyed the historical aspects of it where Leunens draws on many historical events to heighten the tension of her narrative while also expertly illustrating life in that period. The exploitative nature of using World War Two as set dressing to tell a story about an abuser in the abuser's own perspective. Where by the end he is still obsessed with Elsa, even though the truth has come out and she has left him. Made me personally uncomfortable while reading this the whole time, in ways unattended by the author. There will be some people who will be able to set aside that aspect and enjoy the concept of this book; that was not me.
While Jojo Rabbit will still probably remain one of my favorite movies. I don't personally see myself ever revisiting this book.
Personal Enjoyment 1.5/5; Execution 3.5/5
