Scan barcode
A review by hetauuu
In Times of Fading Light by Eugen Ruge
3.0
3.5 stars
In November I read and adored [b:A Spool of Blue Thread|22501028|A Spool of Blue Thread|Anne Tyler|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1451435883s/22501028.jpg|41711673], so I wanted to delve into another family saga. I ended up choosing the very different In Times of Fading Light, and I was not disappointed. Eugen Ruge's 2011 novel tells the story of the Umnitzer family over several decades, taking the reader to DDR, Mexico and many other places and timelines.
The book starts out rather messy, but I appreciate how Ruge was able to establish himself as a trustworthy writer. Instead of being confused by certain plot points, I knew it'd be handled at some other point in the plot. I knew I could trust in him to keep all the strings in his hands and not drop plot points without connecting them to a larger context.
The cast of characters we meet are vastly human and flawed, and most of them are rather unlikable - the men are abrasive, misogynistic at times, the women are involved in petty family infighting, especially those between a mother-in-law and daughter-in-law. However, it really suits the bleak tone of the book. I didn't care for the characters in the sense of them being likable, but I wanted to learn and understand more about why they are the way they are, and Ruge did a great job at exploring that.
In November I read and adored [b:A Spool of Blue Thread|22501028|A Spool of Blue Thread|Anne Tyler|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1451435883s/22501028.jpg|41711673], so I wanted to delve into another family saga. I ended up choosing the very different In Times of Fading Light, and I was not disappointed. Eugen Ruge's 2011 novel tells the story of the Umnitzer family over several decades, taking the reader to DDR, Mexico and many other places and timelines.
The book starts out rather messy, but I appreciate how Ruge was able to establish himself as a trustworthy writer. Instead of being confused by certain plot points, I knew it'd be handled at some other point in the plot. I knew I could trust in him to keep all the strings in his hands and not drop plot points without connecting them to a larger context.
The cast of characters we meet are vastly human and flawed, and most of them are rather unlikable - the men are abrasive, misogynistic at times, the women are involved in petty family infighting, especially those between a mother-in-law and daughter-in-law. However, it really suits the bleak tone of the book. I didn't care for the characters in the sense of them being likable, but I wanted to learn and understand more about why they are the way they are, and Ruge did a great job at exploring that.