book review: Comedy in a Minor Key by Hans Keilson
Translated from German by Damion Searls The backstory: Comedy in a Minor Key was a finalist for the 2010 National Book Critics Circle Award for Fiction . It was originally published in German in 1949 and was only translated into English last year. The basics: The story of a marriage during war, Comedy in a Minor Key follows Marie and Wim, a Dutch couple who take the risk to secretly house Nico, a Jew. They bravely take in a stranger despite their trepidation. My thoughts: With less than 150 pages in this novella, Keilson infuses a remarkable amount of danger, beauty, and action. Marie and Wim are heroic yet ordinary. Their relationship with Nico is haunting to watch. The story itself jumps around through time, which helps maintain both the action and the suspenseful contemplation of its characters. I've found myself increasingly drawn to tales of marriage, across many places, ages and spectrums. The Story of Wim and Marie was fascinating and their love moved me deeply. T...