Geraldine Brooks is an Australian, Pulitzer-Prize winning author. I had read A Year of Wonders several years back and remember being struck not just by the singularity of the story idea but by how subtly and beautifully it was written. When my Mum recommended People of the Book it took me a little while before I realised it was by the same author. But the imagination and the style were unmistakable.

The story revolves around an ancient Jewish Haggadah which, unusually, was illustrated. It turns up in war torn Bosnia where it has been rescued by a Muslim curator of the museum. Hannah Heath, a young restorer of ancient books is asked to come to Sarajevo to examine and restore the book, which begins her journey to discover the mysteries of the book and ultimately leads to a crime which undermines her entire career. The book jumps between 1997 (when Hannah is undertaking her historical detective work) and various periods throughout history which have touched the book. So when Hannah discovers a minute piece of a butterfly wing in the pages, we are then given the story as to how that butterfly wing came to be there. In this way, the Haggadah comes alive with the people who were involved in its creation, protection and preservation. It has been constructed masterfully.

Brooks based much of the story on fact, although in order to solve the mysteries of the document known as the Sarajevo Haggadah she fills the gaps with literary speculation. At no time is it suggested that the book is anything other than fiction, but she weaves the story so well that it almost could be a reasonable explanation. Unlike The Da Vinci Code, this book is written with subtlety and with realistic speculation. I am sure Brook’s aim wasn’t to write a thrilling, fast paced mass-market best seller. She is too careful and thoughtful an author for that.

I enjoyed this book from beginning to end, each story being completely engaging and the transitions never jarring. It also piqued my interest again in the world of manuscripts and history (not that it had ever really waned). And it doubled my appreciation for the writing skill of Geraldine Brooks.

Rating: 10/10
ISBN: 978-0-7322-8037-6
Publisher: Fourth Estate
Year: 2008
Date Finished: 23rd December 2008
Pages: 390