28/09/2023
Book Review by: Ree Wilson
Title: “Insomniac”
Author: Cinzia Tani
Genre: Historical Romance/Mystery Romance
Rating: 3.5/5 Stars
If you’re looking for a painfully raw exploration of the human experience, and the effects of World War II (WWII) on the human psyche, combined with a heart-wrenching romance and the reality of human relationships, Insomniac is the book for you.
Cinzia Tani explores the effects of WWII on her characters, diving into their darkest thoughts and most vulnerable moments. Tani aims to explore the inner world of her characters and manages to do so with tactful grace and aching honesty.
The novel sets the scene with a jarring start, setting the dark tone for the rest of the story. The deep exploration of each of the main characters (Sophie, Max, and Thomas) is beautifully examined over 30 years of their lives. I particularly enjoyed how Tani gives the readers some insight into the lives of their parents, and the characters’ subsequent early childhood.
The book then delves into the heartbreaking trauma that each character faces during Hitler’s reign in Germany. Tani manages to describe the atrocities of WWII, whilst simultaneously avoiding the clichés commonly associated with WWII fiction. During this part of the novel, Tani’s writing is hauntingly beautiful. The reasoning behind the characters' later personalities and somewhat disturbing connection to each another is established. Tani describes it best: “Evil held them in its embrace … their images had become confused, and it was no longer possible to separate them completely.”
In the last section of the novel, 15 years had passed after the war. There is a sharp contrast between the fast-paced action the characters faced during the war, and their lives in this part of the novel. This section exposes the effects of each character's trauma, and the slow pace is a fitting background for the reality that people faced after WWII. This part of the novel also includes a murder mystery, which transports the reader through thrilling twists and turns.
In essence, Tani expertly deconstructed the processes behind each character’s thoughts, feelings, and actions. The juxtaposition of seemingly happy ideas with disturbing realities creates a haunting image that cannot be easily forgotten. I particularly enjoyed this book, and for the first few chapters, I was not able to put it down. I would highly recommend this book to young adult audiences who are interested in the nuances of human relationships, as well as those interested in WWII fiction.
However, as mentioned above, the second part of the story is somewhat dull, and the timeline of events is confusing. Furthermore, several spelling and grammatical errors could have been easily avoided. Lastly, I felt the ending of the book was somewhat misdirected and diminished the initial impact of the novel. For these reasons, I give Insomniac a 3.5/5 stars.
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