This is almost certainly a book that I hope to own in the near future. I suspect that it’s because I’ve been getting through more books this year than in previous years that I’ve come across more books that I’ve loved. Perhaps the ratio of loved books to unloved books is the same, but either way, I’m happy to have more wonderful books in my life.
The Incarnations, by Susan Barker, is about a dude named Wang Jun, a taxi driver in Beijing during its preparation for the 2008 Olympics. One day, he pulls down the visor of his taxi and a letter falls into his lap. This letter is from somebody who seems to be stalking him. A somebody who claims to have been his soulmate through his past lives.
Wang Jun continues to get more letters from this person and some of these letters contain a written history of past lives this person claims to have shared with him. One of my favourite things about this book is its story structure, in that these alleged historical letters feel like separate short stories as part of the larger narrative. I haven’t come across too many books like this; the only other one that comes to mind is Chuck Palahniuk’s “Haunted”, which I also really enjoyed. I would love to see what other books are out there that follow such a structure, so if you know of any, please share!
The Incarnations left me wanting for nothing. I didn’t feel, at any point, like there were spare words; each one felt important and necessary. And when it was over, I felt that sense of loss that so many other readers describe (but that I, myself, haven’t really felt since I first finished reading Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows), but also complete satisfaction.
I don’t think that I should tell you too much more than that. It really felt like a book that needs to be experienced. And if it isn’t something that works for you, I completely understand. But it absolutely worked for me. I LOVED The Incarnations.
Rating: 9/10
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