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The Notebook
The Notebook: The Proof ; The Third Lie : Three Novels | Alan Sheridan, Agota Kristof, David Watson, Marc Romano
14 posts | 27 read | 19 to read
These three internationally acclaimed novels have confirmed Agota Kristof's reputation as one of the most provocative exponents of new-wave European fiction. With all the stark simplicity of a fractured fairy tale, the trilogy tells the story of twin brothers, Claus and Lucas, locked in an agonizing bond that becomes a gripping allegory of the forces that have divided "brothers" in much of Europe since World War II. Kristof's postmodern saga begins with The Notebook, in which the brothers are children, lost in a country torn apart by conflict, who must learn every trick of evil and cruelty merely to survive. In The Proof, Lucas is challenging to prove his own identity and the existence of his missing brother, a defector to the "other side." The Third Lie, which closes the trilogy, is a biting parable of Eastern and Western Europe today and a deep exploration into the nature of identity, storytelling, and the truths and untruths that lie at the heart of them all. "Stark and haunting." - The San Francisco Chronicle; "A vision of considerable depth and complexity, a powerful portrait of the nobility and perversity of the human heart." - The Christian Science Monitor.
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review
merelybookish
The Notebook: The Proof ; The Third Lie : Three Novels | Alan Sheridan, Agota Kristof, David Watson, Marc Romano
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Pickpick

Brilliant, brutal & a total mind f#*k. 🤯
Twins go to live with grandmother during WWII in an unnamed town. Twins seperate. One stays in village, one escapes across the border. Is one twin the figment of the other's imagination? Which twin is the real twin? Who is telling the story? The truth is blurry but war, occupation & tyranny are always cruel & dehumanizing. Postmodern, intense & moving. I'd never tell anyone to read this.👇

merelybookish But if you are drawn to the possibilities of fiction to convey brutal truths and experimental writing, than its worth it. The three books were originally published seperately. I cannot imagine reading them that way. They make sense as one bizarro volume. 2y
Megabooks Hmmm…sounds interesting… 2y
vivastory Uh, yes please. This sounds incredible. 2y
See All 10 Comments
batsy Oooh... This sounds really good. 2y
merelybookish @meganews @vivastory @batsy It is interesting, incredible & really good! But not at all light fare. (Think Magda Szabo minus the humanity.) But I'd love it if any of you read it so we could discuss. 🙂 2y
mklong Wow, this sounds great! 2y
vivastory I was just watching a Book Tube video & this book was mentioned. The content creator said of it, “Reading this feels like you're walking on a quiet country road & suddenly a robotic twin jumps out right in front of you & spooks the hell out of you.“ Lol. I meant to place a hold on this after seeing your review & I see my library doesn't carry it. Just ordered it. I need more Hungarian bleakness in my life. 2y
merelybookish @vivastory That's so weird! I just sent you a message on Goodreads asking for your address. I was going to mail it off to you. If you want to cancel your order, happy to do that. And I'm excited you're going to read it because it's a good book to discuss. Who was the booktuber? I would add that you then don't know which twin in the robot..lol. 2y
vivastory That's so funny we messaged each other the same time about it! I would take you up on your generous offer but I bought a pre-owned copy. Didn't you say you read about this in a Lahiri essay? The BookTube channel I was watching is Fiction Beast. He focuses on classical & early modernist fiction from around the world. I hope you have a safe,& enjoyable, trip this weekend. 2y
merelybookish @vivastory I will be interested to hear what you think! And yes, I think I heard about it in the tagged book where she talks about translation and writing in Italian. Kristof was Hungarian but wrote all her books in French. 2y
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blurb
merelybookish
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Reading this disturbing trilogy poolside. As you do. (Having a little March break staycation.) This is my second novel by a Hungarian woman writer this year. And they are not for the faint of heart. 😳

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merelybookish
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Part 1 of My #boredJanuary bookhaul has arrived. 🎉 I first heard about this trilogy (considered a postmodern classic) by Hungarian writer Agota Kristof in an essay by Jhumpa Lahiri.

LeahBergen It sounds fascinating. 👍 2y
59 likes1 comment
review
Lenarith
Pickpick

Un capolavoro indimenticabile e micidiale.

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Martita1980
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A black fairytale, a childhood adrift among the ruins of war and of a family tragedy.
Brutal, deceiving, bewitching.
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La favola nera di un'infanzia alla deriva fra le macerie della guerra e di una tragedia familiare.
Crudo, ingannevole e ammaliante.
#agotakristof #trilogiadellacittadik #legrandcahier #lapreuve #letroisiememensonge

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Martita1980

Sono convinto, Lucas, che ogni essere umano è nato per scrivere un libro, e per nient'altro. Un libro geniale o un libro mediocre, non importa, ma colui che non scriverà niente è un essere perduto, non ha fatto altro che passare sulla terra senza lasciare traccia.

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Dany_nurse
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Pickpick

Un libro che ti mette alla prova, tutto può essere una menzogna, tutti possono mentire; la storia coinvolgente e disperata di due gemelli che durante la seconda guerra mondiale cercano di sopravvivere come possono...l'autore in questo libro gioca con il lettore come con un burattino facendogli credere una realtà del tutto falsa...

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Ottergirl
The Notebook: The Proof ; The Third Lie : Three Novels | Alan Sheridan, Agota Kristof, David Watson, Marc Romano
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Love my new planner! So pretty! #newplannerday is one of my favourite days of the year!

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weneedhunny
The Notebook: The Proof ; The Third Lie : Three Novels | Alan Sheridan, Agota Kristof, David Watson, Marc Romano
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The best fiction I've read in 2017 so far has to be "The Notebook" by Agota Kristof. It's actually a part of a trilogy, but it's the first book that blew me away! Not for the faint hearted. #TGIFGIVEAWAY

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Simona
The Notebook: The Proof ; The Third Lie : Three Novels | Alan Sheridan, Agota Kristof, David Watson, Marc Romano
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I'm looking for a quote in my old notebooks. The book in the tag I've read in 2011 and I gave it five stars ... not so long ago in the past and I obviously liked the book. But the problem is, that I don't even remember that I read it.🤔🙄🤔😬

Suzze I have that happen a lot. Someone posts a book here, I look it up on Goodreads to discover I've read it, liked it and don't remember anything about it. 😁 7y
Alfoster Especially when they've changed the cover!!😳😳 7y
Simona @Suzze It's frustrated‼️ 7y
Simona @Alfoster If it's prettier than the previous edition, there is a good chance that I'm going to buy it. 🙄😊 7y
63 likes4 comments
review
TaraBlack
The Notebook: The Proof ; The Third Lie : Three Novels | Alan Sheridan, Agota Kristof, David Watson, Marc Romano
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Pickpick

This was disturbing in a compelling way. I liked the first novel/part the best but the book turns in on itself in a structurally superb way so it is best as a whole. It contains child abuse and rape. It's characters operate by a rigid and brutal moral code. Not something to read if you are feeling vulnerable.

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TaraBlack
The Notebook: The Proof ; The Third Lie : Three Novels | Alan Sheridan, Agota Kristof, David Watson, Marc Romano
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"he who writes nothing is lost"

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TaraBlack
The Notebook: The Proof ; The Third Lie : Three Novels | Alan Sheridan, Agota Kristof, David Watson, Marc Romano
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"The word love is not a definite word." - Agota Kristof, The Notebook Trilogy

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Bookdumpling
The Notebook: The Proof ; The Third Lie : Three Novels | Alan Sheridan, Agota Kristof, David Watson, Marc Romano
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Pickpick

For lovers of intellectual allegories set somewhere in Eastern Europe. Riveting fiction.

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