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As a young man, Karl leaves Albania and his family to travel abroad to Greece and beyond. Nearly three decades later, Karl returns to his homeland to be present at his father's funeral. His brother Frederik, who remained behind in the city of his birth, feels the vast gulf that has distanced someone he grew up so close to upon their reunion. Divided by time, distance, shifting customs and beliefs, two brothers must awkwardly attempt to build an emotional bridge across a space that has not been crossed for a quarter of a century. With two weeks back in his homeland, Karl reflects on his life spent wandering, looking for peace of mind and comfort he never found in the place of his birth.
Karl's life abroad is then examined in detail, as he relies on forged documents and is torn between wanting to settle in a place that suits his temperament and the wanderlust that keeps him from ever putting down roots. Motivated by his political leanings, he struggles to maintain stability in his romantic relationships. His outspoken writing draws attention and criticism, but he remains true to his ideals regarding borders and immigration. It becomes clear that Frederik is also a man like his brother, ruled by beliefs and a worldview, but one that was shaped very differently. These two brothers view the city of their birth through opposite lenses, creating a division that keeps them apart, regardless of their feelings or history.
Contrast is the primary engine that drives this story forward. The difference between these brothers, between those who are desperate for new experiences and to break molds versus those who prefer to build something of equal value within their native circumstances, is the immediate and constant examination presented here. However, it is interesting how Karl, a figure who is often portrayed as bold, noble, brave, and even heroic for striking out and speaking up, is frequently depicted in a negative or miserable light. Though he embodies this intelligence-driven weightlessness, he is also without tether or ground. He lives by a self-derived code of what he feels is important and just, but at the same time, it does not necessarily make him a happier person. Likewise, Frederick's closer adherence to cultural identity and tradition is balanced with a constant worry about Karl and a realistic, if not somewhat gloomy, view of his own accepted world.
Religious and political tensions, framed by the fall of the Soviet Union's influence on Eastern Europe, are a significant part of what divides Karl from his family. However, we also get glimpses into his late mother's views, while simultaneously witnessing a similar unrest and agitation as he moves further and further west. The historical and the fictional blend together to create a world that is both familiar and painful to recognize, given its harshness. Yet the troublesome reunion of Karl and Frederik highlights the more human experience lying beneath the unending march of history, and asks the reader to consider how anyone ever finds comfort and stability in a world that is always in motion and remaking itself. Vivid imagery and rich detail round out this compelling modern human drama about how our world is torn between globalization and tribalism.
A 2025 Eric Hoffer Book Award Montaigne Medal Finalist