Fault Lines by Nancy Huston (Book Analysis) E-Book

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• Herausgeber: BrightSummaries.com
• Kategorie: Bildung
• Serie: BrightSummaries.com
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 21

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2016

Beschreibung

Unlock the more straightforward side of Fault Lines with this concise and insightful summary and analysis!
This engaging summary presents an analysis of Fault Lines by Nancy Huston, a fascinating story of childhood in a family spanning four generations, as the reader gradually traces their origins and eventually finds the starting point of the “fault lines” that have torn apart their family and culminate in Sol, their youngest and most violent member. Originally written in French and translated by the author herself into English, this novel has won multiple awards, including the coveted Prix Goncourt. Nancy Huston is the successful writer of many works of fiction and non-fiction, and has been awarded two honorary doctorates for her contributions to literature, history and translation.
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• A complete plot summary
• Character studies
• Key themes and symbols
• Questions for further reflection
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Leseprobe

Nancy Huston

French Canadian writer

Born in Calgary (Canada) in 1953Notable works:Plainsong (1993), novelThe Mark of the Angel (1998), novelFault Lines (2007), novel

Nancy Huston was born in 1953 in Calgary, Canada. She is now living in Paris with her husband, the linguist and sociologist Tzvetan Todorov. An activist for women’s rights, novelist, essayist and musician, Nancy Huston has written more than a dozen books that have earned her many awards. She frequently explores the themes of lines of descent, family and historical heritage (Slow Emergencies, Prodigy: A Novella, The Mark of the Angel). Music is also a powerful source of inspiration for her, (The Goldberg Variations, Plainsong). The novelist also has an original writing technique, consisting of writing nearly all her works in French to then self-translate into English, although not all her works, particularly her essays, have English translations.

Fault Lines

Childhood across four generations

Genre: novelReference edition: Huston, N. (2007) Fault Lines. Toronto: McArthur.First edition: 2006 (French version), 2007 (English self-translation)Themes: childhood, memory, origins, heritage, differences, war

In Fault Lines, published in 2007, Nancy Huston deals with subjects that are dear to her, those of childhood, memory and origins. The novel introduces four children from different generations of the same family, transporting the reader from the aftermath of 11 September in the United States to Germany under the Third Reich. Nancy Huston subtly shows the impossibility of childhood innocence, upon which the past, family heritage and history inevitably weigh. Fault Lines was awarded the Prix Femina [French literary award] in 2006.

Summary

The novel Fault Lines is centred on the story of four characters. The author made the decision to start from the most contemporary character and go gradually back in time to the oldest. To aid understanding, the summary here does not follow the chronological order of the novel.

Kristina’s story

In a small town near Munich, during the summer of 1944, Kristina lives with her mother, her grandparents and her older sister, Greta. Her father and her brother Lothar have left to fight on the Russian frontline. Her brother dies in combat some time later.

Kristina is spoilt by everyone, particularly her grandfather. He compliments her and encourages her to sing. In autumn, Kristina goes back to school and turns out to be a brilliant pupil.