Sunday, August 14, 2011

Rose Blanche

Rose Blanche
Illustrator: Roberto Innocenti
Text by Ian McEwan
Story by Christophe Gallaz


I had difficulty making up my mind regarding this book. Is it a book on futility of war, similar to the book Why? or is it about innocence and bewilderment of a kid who cannot understand the prevailing wisdom that is antithesis of righteousness.

But do we really need to make up our mind regarding what a book wants to convey? Why not let it pass over you and let it regurgitate and make it work its magic slowly.

The book is about a kid named Rose Blanche who watches the beginnings of a war with excitement with no understanding of what it means; only to find out the bitter truth at the end of the book. The war is told from the point of view of the kid in Germany. The imagery captures the mood of the time and place with great clarity. As the war progresses, the scenery switches from enthusiasm to resignation to defeat to another cycle of bloom again. But, the kid does not stay long to see the bloom.

Ian McEwan is not a author we associate with Children's book - more famous for his Booker shortlists. His words are minimal and effective. Read a sampling from the first page - "Rose Blanche was shivering with excitement. But her mother said it was cold. Winter was coming". When I read this sentence the first time I wondered about the extra emphasis on cold and winter. As I read along, It did not take long to realise that mother was not talking about the season. The winter was definitely coming!

Oddly, Roberto Innocenti, the illustrator's name is written before the much famous Ian McEwan (at least for the English audience). It goes to show the importance of the illustrations in this book. Roberto Innocenti's illustrations are magical. The war is distant and the only pictures of war that we see are how Rose views them. The illustration (the centre spread) where Rose lays her eyes on a group of kids in striped pajamas interred behind barbed wires with Star of David prominently displayed is poignant. There is no life in the eyes of kids behind the barbed wires and their eyes are marked with just simple dark spots.

There is another illustration that shows Rose crossing over a bricked bridge with reflections in the water below. It sounds straightforward so far, but something is unsettling about the whole scenery. It becomes more clear when we watch more closely the reflection in the water - presence of barbed wires in the water. Where did this reflection come from? Is it something hanging around the village that no one has cared to notice? Does it illustrate the fate of the girl or does it illustrate the dangers that she is going to face?


The end is bitter. There is also a optimistic note that spring was on its way back. I wish they did not add that page about the invasion of the spring. They should have left it as is - to its bitter and haunting end.

A story of courage, compassion among grotesqueness of war and hatred needs to be shared.

7 comments:

Choxbox said...

Sounds powerful Sathish.

I have found that books about the Holocaust and the war sometimes unsettles children, especially the younger ones. Possibly precisely what the author had intended in the first place?

sathish said...

Chox, This book will probably work for older kids (8+ or 10+).

It did not work with Sooraj. He listened to it and shrugged his shoulders - No effect.

But, it had greater effect on adults.

sandhya said...

Now this is a book I must lay my hands on! A has been recommending Hana's suitcase to her cousins. Maybe she is ready for this one.

Chox, you would be the first to agree with me that it often depends upon the child.

the mad momma said...

What a lovely review, Sathish. And you're right, sometimes these books have so much more nuance that is lost on a child. Don't you often go back to books you read years ago and see them with new eyes?

sathish said...

MM, Thank you. True. I seem to buying books that I would like and hoping that my kids will love them slowly. :)

Sandhya, I think it is ok to introduce it to all elder kids. It would make a difference for a few; - it need not cater to all and need not affect on every one.

ansh said...

introduction of a book is strong and very effective........thanks for such post......

SkyeSweet1276 said...

I forget to write an essay, and therefore what saves me is that there are vietnam war essay examples, he helps me from school, which makes me happy, or rather, they are sometimes written to order for me

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