The Winter Vault [Hardcover]

 

 

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The first half of the book was excellent. The linking of the St. Lawrence Seaway and Nile projects (and the impact on people's lives) was a brilliant idea and the love story of Avery and Jean well done.

But in the second half of the book, too many characters are introduced and the flowery text is hard to follow and frustrating. I slogged through the second half of the book. Overall, disappointing due to the book's annoying second half.

Not many authors would have the boldness to connect three completely unrelated examples of engineering ingenuity in three different continents under one thematic arc, however complex and multilayered. Anne Michaels has done just that in her new, long awaited second novel, THE WINTER VAULT. Michaels' passion is, however, less focused on the impressive visible results of these engineering achievements - the Aswan Dam in Egypt, the St. Lawrence Seaway in Canada and the post-World War II reconstruction of Warsaw's Old City - and centred more on the people who have been involved in these constructions or those who have been impacted by the resulting changes. In rich poetic prose, the author interweaves the intimate experiences and musings of her protagonists with broad societal questions and her own philosophical reflections.

The story begins in 1964 when the ancient Abu Simbel temple complex in Upper Egypt needed to be carved up and moved block by block, through a complicated process, to higher ground, to protect it from the impending flood waters of the dam. Avery Escher, a British engineer, is overseeing this delicate operation. His relevant experience stems from his training through his father during the construction of the St. Lawrence Seaway. Avery is a practical, forward looking man, who can only imagine positive change emerging from such major redesigning efforts. His young wife Jean, having grown up in this region of Canada, had a different perspective on the project, and as a result is less convinced of the potential benefits of change for the affected people. She is also concerned with the need to preserve what was there, such as the local flora and fauna.

What brought those two very different people together, other than some parallel aspects in their personal lives? In Michaels' sensitive portraits they come across as complementary soul mates rather than passionate lovers "... at what moment during their years together had this woman... become Jean Escher? He knew it had nothing to do with marriage, not even with sex, but somehow had to do with all this talking they achieved together." And talking to each other they do, indeed! Much of their background is revealed through back story sharing. From the beginning, though, Michaels gives Avery the more prominent voice; strongly influenced by his father, he is grounded in his convictions, confident in his actions. Jean is an excellent and beautiful listener following Avery's story while her own reflections are more easily kept to herself than expressed to her mate.

Their dissimilar characters are well explored through their differing reactions to the Abu Simbel project and the visit of an abandoned Nubian village. The author takes great care to convey the beauty of the place, the romantic atmosphere on the one hand and, on the other, the deep pain that those who had to leave it must have experienced. While Jean feels for the refugees and the loss of their ancient history and of their natural environment, Avery prefers to see the positive side of new beginnings: the life that buildings can emanate. His perspective of "home" is that is something that we create over time and not the place where we were born or grew up. "Home is our first real mistake. It is the one error that changes everything... It is from this moment that we begin to build our home in the world. It is this place that we furnish with smell, taste, a talisman, a name."

The couple's fundamentally different mind-sets come to the fore when tragedy strikes them to the core. They return to Canada to struggle with the fallout in their own, separate ways. What is striking right away in this second part of the novel is that, apparently, the "talking they achieved together" and that had cemented their relationship, is no longer an adequate tool for dealing with the crisis. Avery quietly fades into the background while the focus is on Jean as she attempts to reclaim her poise. Can she change sufficiently to succeed in her efforts? There are questions that linger.

It is at this point that, rather unexpectedly, the third successful architectural construction project is woven into the narrative. Using the same technique as earlier - personal flashbacks - timelines appear to be deliberately blurred, as the author's focus is as much on the devastating impact of occupation, destruction and dictatorships (Nazi and Soviet) on the population of Warsaw as on the reconstruction itself. Again, Michaels expands into opposing philosophical positions: faithful restoration of historical sites as a positive step to reclaim the past vs. any restoration of historical places defined as fake and therefore fundamentally wrong.

Michaels delves into a range of fundamental themes, such as human suffering due to displacement, loss of cultural roots and identity, the needs of the many over the rights of the few - the Nubians vs. the Aswan Dam, etc. Yet, she is first and foremost a poet. Her language and imagery is often impressionistic, leaving the reader to interpret the meaning and, even more so - not always successfully - to attempt linking poetic phrases to the novel's depicted realities and characters. At times, Michaels interweaves her own musings, and while we can admire her power of words, it can also distract the reader away from the narrative flow.

The two parts of the novel could easily be treated as stand-alone novellas, linked loosely through Jean as the consistently present protagonist throughout. Whether Michaels brings the novel and the story of Avery and Jean convincingly to a close in the short third section has to be left to the reader to find out. For this reader, a number of issues remain unresolved. It is evident also that the author's overriding preoccupation in this novel is not to produce a plot driven or character-based story, but to open the reader's mind to important and existential topics, even if they at times swell beyond the confines of a more traditional novel. [Friederike Knabe]

I love Fugitive Pieces and was so looking forward to Anne Michaels' next book. In the event I am sad to say that I found it barely readable. I did follow it to the end for the occasional flashes of her poetic brilliance, but it was very hard work.

The novel groans under the weight of excess research baggage. Erudite stuff is poured in without discrimination: Egypt, Canada, Nubia, England, Poland, Germany, botany, architecture, structural engineering, child birth, and more. Moreover the narrative jumps around confusingly in place and time.
I like serious novels and weighty themes, but light and shade help to convey nuance. Here there is no light, apart from the over-precious ramblings of characters recalling their childhoods. And there is no light in love either: 'happiness means suffering' is a dictum that is specifically spelt out.
Unremitting seriousness is the tone and the preciousness of the lead characters becomes unintentionally comic. A dirge in music can contain subtle notes, but it is still a dirge, and this novel is an epic dirge.

Katy Jurado

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3.0 out of 5 stars Winter Vault
If you like lyrical and highly descriptive writing, this is for you. The descriptions sometimes are too long almost as if the author is in love with the sound of the prose and... Read more

Published 19 months ago by Margaret Jones

5.0 out of 5 stars A lovely meditation on place
I guess that I can see why not everyone loves this novel, in that this is not a strongly narrative work, but I found it powerful and moving, a book that tells me much about loss... Read more

Published 20 months ago by Mr. Ed in Toronto

1.0 out of 5 stars Boring
Do not waste your time. Its very boring. I could only get throught 1/3 of the book.

Published 20 months ago by Tracy

1.0 out of 5 stars not what i hoped it would be....
I loved Fugitive Pieces, but did not like this book. Yes, her writing is beautiful, poetic, etc. I appreciate that. Read more

Published 21 months ago by J

4.0 out of 5 stars Lyrical
'The Winter Vault' is the long awaited novel from Canadian novelist Anne Michaels who penned the international best-selling lyrical novel 'Fugitive Pieces' in the last decade. Read more

Published on Sep 12 2009 by Saro

5.0 out of 5 stars The Winter Vault
This is a wonderful novel. Michaels crafts a story like few others can. Her characters are memorable as well. Read more

Published on May 26 2009 by Gary R. Munn

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