Título: In darkness and light
Autor: Tudor Alexander
Serie: -
Género: Narrativa, Histórica
Formato: E-book
Idioma: Inglés
Editorial: Autoeditado
Páginas: 282
Told across braided timelines, In Darkness and Light traces Tina’s life from a fiercely hopeful Jewish girl in Romania to a woman shaped by the horror of war and loss and the pursuit of a better future.
As antisemitism tightens its grip on the cusp of World War II, young Tina is drawn to the promise of communism, joining an underground movement that seems to offer justice in an increasingly hostile world. When Tina and her family are deported to a desolate village in Transnistria, she endures unimaginable hardship, emerging changed, her convictions strengthened.
In the years that follow in a newly communist Romania, Tina enrolls in medical school. She meets Iulian, a brilliant writer and devoted party member whose blindness shapes how he sees the world and how he understands it. Their love is deep and real, grounded in a shared belief of an equitable society they are trying to build for their country and their young daughter.
But history intervenes. The corrupt and often violent methods of the regime begin to surface, and Tina is forced to confront a growing unease—about her country, her ideals, and herself. After a shocking loss, the only choice remaining is to seek a path forward.
At once a sweeping love story and a profound tragedy, In Darkness and Light explores the powerful allure of ideology and the difficult reckoning when ideals clash with the realities of life.
Valoración: ⭐⭐⭐
Ambientado en Rumanía entre los años treinta y sesenta, el libro sigue la vida de Tina, una joven judía que, en plena adolescencia y con el antisemitismo creciendo a su alrededor, encuentra apoyo y esperanza en el partido comunista. Con el tiempo, ya de adulta, va viendo que ese sistema que parecía tan ideal no es lo que prometía y acaba sintiéndose decepcionada, incluso engañada.
Al final del libro, en el apéndice antes de los agradecimientos, el autor explica que toda la historia está basada en la vida de un familiar suyo.
In Darkness and Light me ha parecido un libro interesante, con una idea de fondo que llama la atención y momentos que realmente funcionan. La historia tiene buen ambiente y el autor sabe crear esa sensación de luz y sombra que acompaña a los personajes. Aun así, la lectura se me ha hecho un poco pesada por el ritmo. Hay partes que avanzan muy despacio y cuesta mantener la atención, como si la historia se detuviera demasiado en ciertos detalles. No es que esté mal, pero sí que me ha parecido menos ágil de lo que esperaba.
Agradezco al autor la oportunidad de leer este libro, que recibí de forma gratuita en Booksirens a cambio de una reseña sincera.
Set in Romania between the 1930s and the 1960s, the book follows the life of Tina, a young Jewish girl who, in her teenage years and with antisemitism growing around her, finds support and hope in the Communist Party. As time goes by and she becomes an adult, she starts to see that the system that once seemed so ideal is not what it promised, and she ends up feeling disappointed, even deceived.
At the end of the book, in the appendix before the acknowledgments, the author explains that the whole story is based on the life of one of his relatives.
In Darkness and Light struck me as an interesting book, with a compelling core idea and moments that really work. The atmosphere is well done, and the author knows how to create that sense of light and shadow around the characters. Even so, the reading felt a bit heavy because of the pacing. Some parts move very slowly and it’s hard to stay focused, as if the story lingers too much on certain details. It’s not bad, but it felt less dynamic than I expected.
I appreciate the author giving me the chance to read this book, which I received for free through Booksirens in exchange for an honest review.
