the history of love

i just finished nicole krauss's the history of love, as well as dean koontz's the husband.

i thought the husband was not bad, a typical thriller. i found the twist quite stunning. and shocking.

but i thought the history of love was an ambitious and creative undertaking. i think u have to give krauss full credit for what she tried to do. for her style. whether or not it can be billed as a success is up to the individual's discretion, because as they say, one man's meat is another's poison. i thought it was quite a success, but i am one who likes to gush at things i have never seen, heard, experienced before. somewhat like how charlotte singer gives out posthumous Nobels.

i think the history of love is one of those books that are open-ended. you can discuss forever about it, but until you hear it from the author's mouth, you can never be 100% sure what really happened.

and i think in recent times, i have used this expression 'what really happened' quite often. i think there is a tinge of beauty in it because there is an element of the unknown. and we are always drawn to something we don't fully understand, because we want to know more.

but behind the beauty, behind the mystery, there is also resignation, and perhaps sadness as well, that you can never fully understand it.