About:
In the Land of Armadillos by Helen Maryles Shankman is a collection of short stories centralized around a small town in Poland during World War II.
The author is giving away one copy of this book –to enter fill out the Rafflecoptter form at the end of the post.
My rating for In the Land of Armadillos — 5
Buy In the Land of Armadillos from Amazon.com*
More Books by Helen Maryles Shankman
More Recommended World War II books on Man of la BookStore
Thoughts:
I’ve read and enjoyed the author’s previous book, The Color of Light, so when I was contacted to read her new novel, In the Land of Armadillos by Helen Maryles Shankman I didn’t hesitate and agreed. Before I begin, I’d like to say that I am not a “short story” person and usually try to stay away from them.
I truly enjoyed this book and the linked stories that go along with it. Stories about the Holocaust are always difficult to pull off, but somehow the author managed to do it, for the second time, with grace and talent.
Some of the stories use magical realism, which reminded me of Latin American literature, which somehow (and I’m not sure how) worked very well in the context. The Jewish texts used magical realism many times, whether in folklore or religious texts, to explain a rational world, but here the author uses them to explain an irrational world where everyone living knows it.
The author did something I always wanted to do, write either a history or a fictionalized version of my family’s struggles in Europe during World War II. Ms. Shankman, however, has something I don’t – talent.
Buy In the Land of Armadillos from Amazon.com*
More Books by Helen Maryles Shankman
More Recommended World War II books on Man of la BookStore
Congratulations: saubleb@
Zohar — Man of la Book
Disclaimer: I got this book for free.
*Amazon links point to an affiliate accoun
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Wow, Zohar. Thank you for your wonderful review, and for hosting this giveaway.
Incidentally, since you mentioned Latin American literature, "One Hundred Years of Solitude" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, was a major influence. So was "The Tin Drum," by Gunther Grass.