Madeleine Thien's novel, The Book of Records, intertwines historical and speculative elements to address pressing global issues like migration and identity politics. The story centers on Lina, who flees her homeland with her ailing father and ends up in a nebulous place called 'the Sea', symbolic of statelessness and loss. Throughout her life, Lina is defined by her loyalty, the memories of her fragmented family, and her obsession with three volumes of The Great Voyagers encyclopaedia. This intellectual journey highlights themes of rootlessness and exile, which resonate deeply with contemporary crises.
At the heart of the novel is Lina, a young girl who escapes her homeland with her ill father and finds herself in a mysterious, shape-shifting place known only as 'the Sea'.
Lina's life becomes one of stillness and minimalism, revolving around caring for her father, haunted by her family's fragmentation and the absence of her mother and brother.
Collection
[
|
...
]