In 1859, during the Battle of Solferino, a young lieutenant saves the life of Emperor Franz Joseph I. of Austria, and so begins the story of the family Trotta, which is paralleled to the decline and fall of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The focus lies mostly on the son and grandson of the Hero of Solferino, who dies relatively early, although his legacy looms over their lives in the same way that the omnipresence of the emperor looms over the lives of his subjects. The book culminates in the outbreak of World War I and the end of the Trottas and Franz Joseph.
What I noticed first when I started reading, was the masterful use of language by Roth; for instance, the way he dives into the thoughts of his protagonists makes you feel not only for them, but with them. Also the manner in which he describes things and situations is hauntingly beautiful. I think the part, in which the Trotta’s longtime servant dies, will stay with me for a long time it was so perfectly told, and that’s by far not the only scene like that. Also it’s not all tragic, there are some parts that show a very subtle and understated humor, like the scene in which the Hero of Solferino visits the emperor and wants the story of his heroic deed removed from a school book, because it was heavily embellished for patriotic reasons. I also love the way in which Roth often circles back to previous events, which makes at first seemingly unimportant occurrences suddenly much more significant.
When you start the book you know how it’s going to end because history dictates it, but how Roth hints more and more at the coming war and destruction the further you progress in the story is done expertly. At first there are only some mentions of discontent in the empire like socialdemocratic ideas becoming more popular, but then the signs become clearer and clearer and the prophecies of doom louder and louder, until in the most obvious appearance of a bad omen an unkindness of ravens descends on the place where the youngest Trotta lives and the war has begun. And although I knew, the end still hit me incredibly hard, and it did make me cry.
This book is a masterpiece. Highly recommended.
I reviewed this a few years back and also loved it. There’s a sequel that’s quite different (especially in scope) but also interesting in its own ways. This IS a masterpiece, true. You might check out Beware of Pity by Stefan Zweig for more Austro-Hungarian-ness.