Official Review: Turtle: The American Contrition of Franz...

[damla]

[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Turtle: The American Contrition of Franz Ferdinand" by Mik Everett.]

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The author starts her book with a stunning conversation with her mother (Mary). When she tells her mother that her grandfather tried to rape her, her mother's response punches the reader in the face. It is very easy to get upset with Mary, but in truth , the conversation screams ' learned helplessness' which is the main theme of the book. Anne ( Mik Everet ) calls herself many names throughout the book and majority of them are pretty negative. However, the only time she is unforgiving towards herself is when she is insignificant, inactive and helpless. Hence the relation of Franz Ferdinand to the book. After all, all he did was getting killed (can it get any more inactive than that ? ) and starting a World War by that powerlessness. He had no strings to pull, he let things happen to him instead of making things happen. Therefore she wont forgive herself or Franz Ferdinand.

This book is her breaking free of inactivity. It is her way of showing to the world that no matter what happens to you, you have the power to make your life beautiful. She shows the reader that she will not whine and play the victim but she will mold all the terrible things happened to her into this beautiful sophisticated book, which is swimming at the edge of being a masterpiece of the contemporary literature. So, despite all the pessimism and heart breaking events, the book is also about hope.

Writing a non-linear, part-memoir, part family-history at a very young age calls for a disaster. Mik Everet doesn't only pull it off but also kills it. I can not tell you enough how impressed I am with this young lady's voice, perspective, knowledge and strength. The metaphors are scattered in the book in such right places and times that every single word in the book is there for a reason. And that alone is an extremely rare quality in an author.

One more thing about this author that can not be left unmentioned is her absolute governing knowledge of history. She sneaks this knowledge in and kneads it into the book with exceptional skill.

I give this book 4 out of 4 stars but if I could, I would give it a million stars. I recommend this book to each and everyone of you. If you like literature , Mik Everet offers you a feast. In addition to the quality of writing, the plot keeps the book interesting and you can find it hard to stop reading. You will be able to identify with many characters in the book and might have to face your own demons. But in the end you will be left full and satisfied after reading it.

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