Okay, I've read thousands of books and I've seen a bit of trickery in my time. But this time around, it seemed more than that....it seems a breach of trust in a book that's really well respected and I enjoyed...as soon as I figured it out.
I'm talking about "The History of Love" by Nicole Krauss, which I read for my book group. There's a main character, Leo, who is an elderly Jewish man, and he has a best friend, Bruno. They knew each other as children in Poland. Now in New York City, the two spend a lot of time together and share their lives. They live in the same apartment building and keep themselves from getting too lonely.
One day, Bruno decides to overdose on sleeping pills and leave the world. Well, Leo finds him, dials 911 and ends up at the hospital with him. They're a wreck. Bruno apologizes to Leo. Leo understands, but is upset.
It was so great to read about a strong male friendship.
Imagine my shock and dismay when I read what Leo reveals on page 249 of the 252-page book: "He's the greatest character I ever wrote....He's dead....He died on a July day in 1941."
Bruno was an imaginary friend the whole time. I feel cheated. In no way did the author even hint that Bruno wasn't "real". It made me question the rest of the book. Were the other characters all "real"?
It would be one thing if Leo was mentally challenged, but he wasn't. He was old, sure; he was a writer prone to invention, but I never figured he was this lonely or this creative.
Ah well, I'm probably over-reacting, but I know I'll never pull this trick on the readers of my own books.
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