Love is possibly the worst feeling that accompanies people. But also the best. No wonder then that for centuries it has been talked about by both great poets and philosophers, as well as ordinary scribblers. It is also the leitmotif of Raphael Bob-Waksberg’s debut book – but is there anything new to be said about it?
From Sas to Forest
Someone who will love you in all your miserable glory (long title, phew) is a collection of 18 stories varied both in terms of volume (the shortest is only one and a half pages, the longest – around 50) and structure. Bob-Waksberg alternates traditional narrative with slightly more experimental forms; Among the sketches, the reader will find, for example, streams of consciousness (reminiscent of the monologues for which the anthropomorphic characters of the series BoJack Horseman , whose creator is the author), a poem, a travel guide or a compilation of short – one sentence – stories.
The author’s imagination seems to have no limits. Although some of the stories are firmly grounded in “our” reality, when Bob-Waksberg ebbs away – it ebbs away completely. Is it an account written from the perspective of a four-legged pet ( Rufus ), the adventures of a rock band with superpowers – with a little twist ( Rising Stars ), a dimensional traveling scientist ( We, learned husbands ), or a description of preparations for a very, very bizarre wedding ritual ( The holiest and most auspicious celebration), the author invariably surprises with its versatility. At the same time, she does not lose her psychological flair and sensitivity to human emotionality, even in the most absurd situations, finding this characteristic, bittersweet element.
What is hidden by a cracked shell
Despite the huge dose of surrealism and the improbability of many circumstances created by Bob-Waksberg, one thing remains intact – the consistent universality of the message. And this is thanks to a very clever trick by the author. The narrators of individual sketches are so indeterminate, and the situations in which they find themselves – so close to us all that they ask to complete their “description” with the reader’s personal experiences. This is a clever trick that makes it very easy for us to identify with the main characters. The characters surrounding modest “storytellers” are different. Here, in turn, we are dealing with a galaxy of colorful, expressive individuals, marked by eccentricities and neuroses common today. It shouldn’t surprise anyone
It is impossible not to notice that in the case of epic works, Bob-Waksberg works better in shorter, condensed forms. In the case of longer stories, although still enjoyable to read, the emotional charge seems to be somewhat blurred. It is also related to the Polish edition. Monika Skowron undertook the very difficult task of translating a colorful language full of neologisms, idioms and hermetic word games – often untranslatable content. Therefore, at times the translation seems a bit clunky (starting from the title of the book itself and individual stories), and the correction did not avoid some imps, mainly typos.
Sweet cream, bitter sponge cake
You can get through the book in one breath – the stories are brilliant and extraordinary, and the narrative itself flows. However, I think that it is worth taking this pleasure. Despite the fact that the whole is drenched in a thick sauce of black humor and smoked with the vapors of surrealism, the author sometimes strikes in a very sloppy tone – it would be a shame to get caries from the excess of this sweetness.
Nasza ocena: 8/10
Under the guise of seemingly banal, even absurd stories, Raphael Bob-Waksberg smuggles in a solid dose of accurate observations and universal truths. This is a real treat for lovers of extraordinary stories.EDITION AND PROOFREADING: 7/10
Characters: 9/10
STYLE: 8/10
STORY: 8/10