Versions of the truth
War is cruel. It brings hunger, fear, a feeling of loneliness, it is impossible to survive. Agata, the protagonist of the first part of the series, wanders around the city, trying to find her place in the new reality. It is the excluded, the overlooked, the unwanted. The guilt that the adults blame the girl may be commensurate with the punishment – Agata caused the war, that’s what. As a consequence of her actions, more and more soldiers (and deserters) appear on the streets of Venisana, so it is not safe. However, the reader quickly realizes that the greatest threat is those who are no longer on the side of the rule of law. In search of answers to the questions that bother us: Why are the bridges in Venisan double and why are you not allowed to step on their right leg? Who is Azurra and how did it happen, that the queen of hated deserters turned out to be the closest person to the heroine? – we have to plunge into the world of Goralik without memory. The answers are incessantly ambiguous and depend on the perspective.
Secrets continued
Drawn into the amazing world of Goralik, we try to get to know the peculiar literary world, although the author does not necessarily help us in this. The story is no less intricate than the Venisans’ Cold Waters, and – as in the first part – the explanations blur, completing the fantastic picture. Goralik consciously avoids drastic descriptions of the war, thus remaining in the shadow of actual events. The author focuses on the themes of help, prophecy, friendship and sacrifice. After reading Double Bridges of Venisana , we feel a kind of satisfaction, although some plot elements raise doubts. While the performance of Agata in the Cold Waters of Venisana allows the reader to clarify feelings towards the heroine, inWe remain a bit confused about Venisana’s double bridges – Goralik gives us little new information, nor does he continue all the threads. Excessive concentration on the subject of the war makes the story somewhat shallower and causes a longing for the first volume. The other heroes, like Agata, do not stand out from the community, nor are they remembered by the reader. It’s a pity. Venisana’s double bridges remain a story primarily about helplessness, injustice and propaganda, which nowadays takes on a slightly deeper meaning.
Through the eye of the reviewer
The publication of Wenisana’s Double Bridges deserves praise – Roch Urbaniak prepared a beautiful cover, stimulating the imagination, and the translator Agnieszka Sowińska made it possible for Polish readers to read. The font is large, which means that we can read the book very quickly (its complexities may, however, provoke the reader to take another reading). I would like to mention that the reviewed literary proposal is dedicated to teenagers – 12-16 years old, but due to the subject matter it will be more appropriate for high school students. Saint Agata is the informal patron of the book, and why? You’ll find out soon.
