Roman Clodia's Reviews > A Country Road, A Tree

This is an elliptical literary novel that explores Samuel Beckett 's life in France during the Second World War and his emergence as one of the great Modernist writers. It's a quiet book in lots of ways with events happening in the background but silences and spaces (as in Beckett 's own works) are important.

Beckett isn't mentioned by name, though his companion, and later wife, Suzanne Déchevaux-Dumesnil is, as are James and Nora Joyce. His work with the Resistance is also here but again don't expect exciting tales of escape... this is far more interested in moral courage and a quiet kind of humanism.

I expect this will be most appreciated by those who already know something of Beckett 's life and works: it's a fitting homage to a great writer but is sadly unlikely to have the popular appeal of Baker 's Longbourn.

Thanks to the publisher for an advanced review copy via Netgalley.