Benjamin Ziskind has just been left to pick up the pieces after his wife divorces him, and one of those pieces ends up being a Marc Chagall painting that he steals impulsively from a museum. He recognizes it as a painting that hung on the wall of his parents' house during his childhood, and enlists his sister to help him cover up the theft. Eventually, even a museum employee is in on it, as they all attempt to find a way to rectify the situation.
The World to Come follows three generations of their family, with Chagall's painting as a thread that winds through each of their stories. It's a story that doesn't shy away from the horrible misfortunes of life, but the darkness is offset by a richly creative imagining of what human souls experience in "the world to come" before they're born. I liked how this book had a web of interconnecting stories and it really delves into the characters' pasts. It really gave me a sense of how, even though our lives are finite, we’re all part of the grand scheme of things.
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4 comments:
Taylor, what a fantastic review! I've officially been persuaded to read this novel. Your commentary on the temporary nature of life and humanity's ability to connect through the strangest of circumstances is awe-inspiring.
Thank you for this wonderful recommendation!
- Penelope
I love the review, Taylor! I'm adding it to by TBR pile!
Sounds like a fascinating book. Thanks for recommending it.
My husband loves art-related books and I've been looking something he might like to read next. This sounds right up his alley. Thank you for the recommendation!
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