FICTION

All Days Are Night

by Peter Stamm
Other. Nov. 2014. 192p. tr. from German by Michael Hofmann. ISBN 9781590516966. $23.95. F
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Told from the viewpoint of television presenter Gillian and an artist named Hubert, this latest from award-winning Swiss novelist Stamm (We're Flying) opens with Gillian in the hospital recovering from a car accident that left her face severely disfigured and her husband, Matthias, dead. During her extended rehabilitation, Gillian reflects on her marriage and how her relationship with Hubert, begun after she interviewed him on TV, may have affected the tragedy. Unfortunately, Gillian and Hubert's sections of the book have the same flat, distant, third-person style, and the failure to distinguish their voices limits the reader's engagement with the story.
VERDICT The novel is a quick but forgettable read with the exception of the conclusion, which is memorable for all the wrong reasons. In need of an epiphany, Stamm creates an unbelievable set piece that will disappoint readers. Recommended for those interested in art and the art of reinvention; book clubs may wish to debate the ending.
Reviewed by Pamela Mann, St. Mary's Coll. Lib., MD , Sep 15, 2014
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