I hope that this book redeemed me from the January book and I hope that it met the criteria for a love themed month.
This book was so magical with its twists in the story and its weaves through time. The beginning proved a little difficult to understand the back and forth through time and the plethora of new characters being introduced but once I was able to sit in quiet to process the characters, I really enjoyed the plot and it was easier to understand everyone’s role in the story. Plus, the theme of unrequited love is always beautiful and suspenseful in a heartbreaking way.
We see the idea of unrequited love between Leo and Alma, Bruno and Alma, Alma and Misha, Bird and God, and Alma’s mother and Jacob Marcus. There are a lot of misunderstandings and things left unsaid by the characters. There are many moments where just one small change would have changed the story for the characters. I think that the unrequited love theme also leads to a sub-theme of jealousy. Jealousy, not in its mean spirited variety, but a more envious feeling and from the idea of being helpless in its manifestation of despair. It’s the ever present idea of wanting someone to like you as much as you like them, but learning that they don’t or that they stopped.
I was most enthralled with the main story of Leo and Alma. It was such a sweet story of young love hindered by war and distance. This book really highlights a story of “what could have been” in a very poetic and solemn way. Leo never gets his chance to live a life with Alma and his son like he envisioned. But his heartache turned into a story that inspired other people to fall in love (present-day Alma’s parents). Leo’s story is his tribute to his beloved and then becomes an account of his son’s true history. Leo is the catalyst for the novel. It’s his actions and inactions that keep the plot moving to its sad end. His love never comes to fruition.
This was truly a love story that spans time and language. It was a non-saccharine sweet love story that had historic relevance and was a plausible story for many immigrants back before texting and email. When distance and time separate us, it is easy to see the disintegration of relationships. Luckily, this book brought it all back full circle to remind us that love, grief, and compassion continue no matter how much time lapses.
What did you think of Alma’s decision to stay in her marriage and not go with Leo?
Was Leo right in letting his son live his entire life never knowing his biological father?
What is the significance of Leo making a point of being “seen” everyday by someone?
What did you think the purpose of present-day Alma was to the story? Why couldn’t we have seen this perspective through her mother who was actually translating the story?
Why did Jacob Marcus seek an alias when getting The History of Love translated? Did he really run a risk by being himself?
What was the most significant relationship besides Leo and Alma?
Is the novel within The History of Love Leo’s tribute to Alma or a more generalized tribute to an ideal love?
Is the meaning of Alma’s name? Is there any significance to why the name was never changed in its many translations?
The true sadness is that Leo did feel invisible to everyone because of the tragedies in his life. His need to be seen every day is something I can completely understand and sympathize with. I thought Krauss did an excellent job with building the characters and having us empathize with them. The book was heart-breaking, yet charming and poignant. My soul feels a deep love and a sincere sigh for Leo Gursky.
It really is a tragedy that someone with so much love and talent could be so alone in his world. And I kind of feel like he could have remedied it by letting himself be known by his son or by telling Alma to run away with him but he is a selfless man and is satisfied to view life from afar. I agree that the author did a great job (in very few pages) in generating true characters and a beautiful story line. I love that the story weaves itself through time showing us how timeless love is…it transcends ‘history’.
What did you think of the present day storyline? Did you feel some hope for Leo now that he has found the young Alma?
I am so glad that you enjoyed this story. Hope you will read with me in March too!
So I really liked this book! I loved the intertwining of the stories. Like you, I was confused at first and didn’t know what was going on, but about midway through, I realized that it would all come together somehow in the end and that all of the characters were “related” in some way. For some reason, I kept thinking that Alma was the granddaughter of Leo and that his son and the mom had some kind of relationship prior! Ha! I guess I was hoping of more connection between the characters!
I hated that Leo and Alma didn’t end up together but then you can’t blame her probably thinking he never made it out or ended up dying. I hate that he didn’t end up knowing his son and his son didn’t meet him. I guess he respected Alma’s wishes, but I do wish he had met him and they could have had a relationship.
I think Leo trying to be seen is just showing his loneliness without Alma and without his son. I think he always thought he’d die and no one would notice without Alma by his side. This made me really sad thinking that this must be how a lot of older people feel and think.
I think present day Alma was a way of showing a younger perspective and also showing what love meant as she watched her mother mourn her father. I think it also opened up the love she had for Misha. I think the point the author tried to make was that love is the same but different in all of these scenarios. I do not think the mother was in a right state of mind and maybe that’s why the author chose Alma’s viewpoint rather than the mother. In regards to Jacob Marcus, I’m still not sure why he used an alias and why he didn’t want to be discovered. Not sure if it’s the relation to Leo or the fact that he was a famous author as well. I thought this was a bit odd, but I’m sure there was a reason for it.
I think all of the relationships are significant in this story. I think each one brought it’s own point and relevance to the entire novel. I think Leo and Alma were the catalysts of what love is or was, but I do think they all played a key role in establishing true love.
I think Leo used his love for Alma as the example to write the novel. I think he verbalized all of his feelings for Alma into one novel that can relate to all people in different situations… he couldn’t have her just like his son couldn’t have him, etc.
Not sure on Alma’s name. I thought it was used as a universal name for “Love” or “My Love”. I feel like I interpreted this book in a lot of different ways. I thought modern day Alma was a boy for like half of the book! I don’t know why! I feel like it wasn’t made obvious that she was a girl for a while. I also thought that the guy that called Leo to unlock his house was his son at first. I think I was searching for the connection the whole time, and once all was revealed, it turned out so different than I imagined, but in a good way.
Good choice! Can’t wait for the next one!
P.S. I’m currently half way through Me Before You and I’m loving it!
Translated from Latin Alma means SOUL. I grew up with a friend that had a mom named Alma and I remember knowing that it meant soul (I did Google just to make sure). So my feeling about using the name Alma throughout the story is to show a soulmate and that the soulmate can never be replaced. It transcends time (hint ‘History’) just like a soul would. So I think you were right in that it was a universal “everyman” name for Love but literally for soul. I also found that it can mean “young woman” which is fitting for this story.
It was tragic that this man could still fully love Alma from afar and still watch over and love his son from afar without wanting more. I really wish Leo had a chance to meet his son but I guess that’s why they call it a tragedy. And I think his attempts to be seen in public are just that he needed someone to acknowledge him since he would otherwise not exist. I’m so glad he met present-day Alma…maybe he will now have a friend other than Bruno.
Lol I thought Alma was a boy too!!! I think it was that the child had a great bond with the little brother, Bird, and I guess the actions were kind of gender-neutral so I assumed Alma was a boy.
P.S. So glad you’re liking Me Before You! I will finally have someone to discuss it with