Review of In Search of Achilles

[Lara Trinidad]

[Following is a volunteer review of "In Search of Achilles" by Marco van den Berg Scholten.]

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5 out of 5 stars

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Johan van Geesteren was still a young aristocrat at the end of the summer of 1990; the Berlin Wall came down, Europe was about to experience prolonged periods of freedom and prosperity, and the individual teetered on the verge of adulthood while wondering what to do with a damn meaningless world that seemed to be dominated by the singular thought of free market ideology. As a writer, Marco van den Berg Scholten uses Johan's journey to probe far-reaching questions about freedom, root and branch societal changes, and living a meaningful life. The world of Johan, who has to move through a world of shifting values and conflicting ideologies, teaches him the limitations of society systems and the importance of personal responsibility.
 
Perhaps the story could be more concise—one possible dislike. Occasionally the descriptions can be too lyrical. Readers may not get into this meandering style if they like a fast pace. Some readers will also be left wanting to know more about Johan’s future and how he uses what he learned that summer, including in the ending. The improvements would include a few chapters to close the book more, perhaps revisiting Johan a couple of years or so later to see how the experiences had affected his life. The open ending is great, but of course, some people may not think it’s satisfactory.
 
The editing is impeccable. The language is clean, and the flow of the narration is unbroken, almost without mistake. The book has the author's command of language throughout it. The book is a good choice for readers who are interested in Dutch literature or in books set in Europe.
 
Readers who enjoy introspective journeys and philosophical explorations will enjoy "In Search of Achilles." It’s a hauntingly beautiful novel, full of greater questions about the human condition, about what gives our lives meaning in increasingly unmeaningable world values. It gets 5 out of 5 stars for exploring complex themes in really elegant prose. It provides a unique perspective on the post-Cold War era and the challenges young people face in a rapidly changing world.

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In Search of Achilles
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