A fine and private place

 A couple of things I need to set straight from the get-go:

1. I absolutely loved this book.

2. I kinda think the translated title had a more poetic, dreamy quality about it – “Un loc placut si numai al lor”

Now that I got these things off my chest, this is what this book is about: love, loneliness, escape, fear, acceptance, miracles and life. And, of course, it all takes place in a cemetery

Jonathan Rebeck is a loner, a misfit in the modern world, an old-school pharmacist who fails in his business and retires, broke and unwanted, to live in a graveyard mausoleum, in Yorkchester, New York. His instinct towards helping hasn’t died out, except that now, he helps the dead pass to the other world. Some sort of ragged, fallen-from-grace Charon, he talks to the dead, he plays chess with them, until they forget this world and move on into unbeing. One early summer, and a few days apart Michael and Laura are buried, and a Mrs. Klapper comes to visit her husband Morris….and by the end of August, Rebeck will start a new life. I’d rather not say how…[ too much to miss, Mr. Beagle's book is definetly worth a few hours of anyone's time]…but maybe I’ll give one hint: love will catch you anywhere  Sound cheesy? Maybe, but not here, not in this fine and private place.

The craziest character is though, by far, the crow. Compelled by his nature to take care of someone, he steals food and brings it to Rebeck a couple of times a day, being his only living friend and companion. A skeptical, realistic, funny and wise bird, the crow’s remarks make a bit part of the charm of this very unusual ghost story

~ by ameer on January 21, 2008.