Translated from the Norwegian by James Anderson
Publisher: Archipelago Books
Date
published: November 1, 2009
ISBN: 098003308X
Literary
E-Book
Reviewed
by Lynne
Obtained
via publisher.
A
boy named Antinous Bellori, born in 1551, has an encounter with angels which
intrigues him. His obsession then, in
1584, drives him to write On The Nature of Angels, which is later hidden
away from public view, within the vaults of the Catholic Church. It had been published under a pseudonym and
was placed on the Vatican’s list of forbidden books. All remaining copies were burned. Bellori’s view of angels is different from
what the Church ascribed them to be because he had seen them with his own eyes,
so went about sharing what he knew through his writings.
Bellori
shares how those angels trapped on Earth became mortal yet not human, how they
had to struggle to survive because they would not fit in with the human
communities. His obsession with them
lasted throughout his lifetime, and he spent his last days seeking more angels,
which he eventually does encounter once more, according to his writings.
The
narrator of A TIME FOR EVERYTHING delves deeper into this topic and
previous works by Newton, Kepler, Galileo, Copernicus, and others, wondering
how things would be now if Bellori was, in fact, correct in what he believed,
thereby laying aside the ideas of the more famous scholars whose scientific
beliefs gave a view of a different world from what Bellori believes exists.
A
TIME FOR EVERYTHING moves forward with a recounting of
when angels first appeared in human history, at the fall of man. It shares the stories of God’s creation of
man, the stories of Cain and Abel, of Noah, the Ark, his eventual degeneration,
giants, and the Great Flood, among other things. Later, the book of Ezekiel is interpreted
with a discussion on cherubim and their importance for mankind.
Oddly
enough, A TIME FOR EVERYTHING eventually turns to the subject of
seagulls, of how they were once angels...possibly. This, of course, is a myth, yet it is shared
how, if one takes a close up view of a seagull, one can see a small hand on the
breast of a seagull, thereby proving the supposed myth as factual.
Near
the conclusion, the narrator of A TIME FOR EVERYTHING is finally
revealed. He is Henrik Vankel, whose
father shared with him the myth about the seagulls. Fifteen years later, his father is dead,
giving Vankel the realization that there is a time for every purpose under
heaven.
Alone,
Henrik lives a dull life, due to a self-imposed exile, and spends much of his
time fishing. Later, he cuts himself, on
the face, as if to convince himself he is alive. He yearns to feel something, and the pain is
what satisfies this, it seems.
He
feels as if time is a force stealing away days, weeks, hours, making him feel
as if his life is like a flash of light in the darkness. All he knows is that his heart beats, his
lungs breath, and his eyes are observing, moving along landscapes. As he sits outside and watches boats and
other people...and his life...passing by.
A
TIME FOR EVERYTHING by Karl Ove Knausgaard is his second
novel and is a work of sheer brilliance.
Nominated for the Nordic Council Prize, it was his first book to be
translated into English. In 2006, a
major Norwegian newspaper, Dagbladet, named A TIME FOR EVERYTHING
as one of the best 25 books in the last 25 years.
After
reading Knausgaard’s previous novel, MY STRUGGLE, I fully expected A
TIME FOR EVERYTHING to perhaps be something similar or even a continuation
of the first book. Instead, as I began
reading, I kept thinking, “What on earth is this about?” But as I continued plowing through the 504
pages of this story, I soon discovered the fascinating writing talent of Knausgaard
on an entirely new level.
A
TIME FOR EVERYTHING in no way compares to his previous
work. Strangely unique, original in all
aspects, this novel is incredibly informative and entertaining. There are some slow parts in it that bored
me, so I put the book away for a few days.
When I tackled it again and got past the slow parts, I soon got hooked
and found myself turning pages. As a
believer in angels, I soon became intrigued with the dramatized accounts of
Biblical stories and of the narrator’s take on the divine.
A
TIME FOR EVERYTHING is full of incredible thoughts and
ideas that tug at the reader’s thought processes and ingrained beliefs of
Biblical truths. It makes the reader
think and wonder if what is shared in the novel’s pages contain more than what
he already knows. I was amazed at how
much fun I had reading the somewhat fictionalized accounts of Noah’s Ark and
the many other Bible tales I am already so familiar with.
Knausgaard
has a wonderful knack for description, especially for nature, and is adept in
his visionary aspects, insights, and creativity. His intellect regarding the human mind is
amazing, and I loved the imaginative way he brings life to people I’ve only
read about in Scripture.
Changes
in A TIME FOR EVERYTHING all come in their time. Once past the discussions on angels and Bible
stories, Knausgaard abruptly interjects something new. More into the final days of Antinous Bellori
and later into the life and private despair of the book’s narrator, Henrik
Vankel, who is considering suicide just because he wants to be able to feel
something. As you finally reach the end
of A TIME FOR EVERYTHING, by then you feel Henrik’s utter despair
completely.
I
was totally mesmerized by A TIME FOR EVERYTHING. Once it took hold of me, I had to keep
reading. It crossed my mind several
times. How ever did Knausgaard come up
with the ideas for this book? I am
simply astounded by the subject matter.
With his talent for writing, for descriptions, for human feelings and
psyche, it isn’t difficult to tell why this writer is so highly regarded. A TIME FOR EVERYTHING is simply an
extraordinary read, and I would recommend it to anyone interested, especially
in the topic of angels.
Bravo,
Mr. Knausgaard.
This
is an objective review and not an endorsement of this book.
