This is the latest in a series of occasional posts featuring books I read years ago about which I was wildly enthusiastic at the time, wanting to press a copy into as many hands as I could.
The People’s Act of Love is one of those rare things: a novel that came to me via H’s recommendation. He tends to read much more non-fiction than I do, relying on my suggestions for fiction apart from crime of which I’m not fond. In fact, I think I handed this on to him as something that seemed more up his street than mine. He raved about it so I had to read it then became a fervent convert. We weren’t the only ones – it was praised to the skies by critics who bravely compared it with the likes of Tolstoy and Dostoyevsky.
In 1919 the remote Siberian town of Yazyk is home to an extreme Christian sect. Stationed nearby is the remnant of a Czech battalion and their mad captain, desperate to get home after losing the civil war. The arrival of the charismatic but slippery Samarin, recently escaped from a Russian gulag, together with the suspicious death of a local shaman throws Yazyk into a chaos of suspicion and terror, further complicated by a beautiful young woman of ambiguous status whose attention has been snared by Samarin.
There are a multitude of storylines running through Meek’s novel. Hard to do it justice in a few lines. I’m wary of the old ‘literary page-turner’ cliché but this really is gripping with several quite shocking revelations. Meek’s descriptive writing is extraordinarily vivid, summoning up the harshness of the frigid Siberian landscape. It’s about war, love, idealism, belief and the extremes that people will go to in pursuit of them. Perhaps I should listen to H more often.
What about you, any blasts from the past you’d like to share?
You can find more posts like this here.
I just found this on my bookcase when I was having another reshuffle. I need to get around to reading it!
Synchronicity! I hope you enjoy it, Janet.
So funny because years ago I wrote a short review of Meek’s ‘The Heart Broke In’ and said something along the lines of “this short review doesn’t do it justice…”. I loved Heart so really should explore more of his work – thanks for the reminder.
Of the two this was my favourite, Kate. Very different books, of course.
Similarly, this is a rare example of a novel which Mr S and I have both read … and enjoyed!
Odd, isn’t it, particularly as it’s not a book that would appeal to everyone. Perhaps it says something about compatibility!
I think there is always something special about those books that have been recommended and which we don’t really want to read, but turn out to be something extraordinary. It’s nice that H is able to recommend some reads to you, at least occasionally!
I have to say that he’s always delighted on the rare occasions it happens!
I loved this book, and really enjoyed The Heart Breaks In too. But The People’s Act of Love was extraordinary and I would definitely like to re-read it.
I’ve been thinking that myself since writing this post.
This rings a really vague bell for me & your review has me wondering how on earth its passed me by! Definitely a gap in my reading I need to fill, I think.
That’s what I like to hear! I think it has quite a lot of attention when it was published which might explain that bell.