The Stars Can Wait: A Novel

Rating:
Summary: Impressive First Novel
Review: "The Stars Can Wait" by Jay Basu, Henry Holt and Company, New York 2002.

Jay Basu has written an impressive first novel dealing with a young boy, Gracian Solka, coming of age in German occupied Silesia, 1939-1940. Germans in Silesia is nothing new. The Germans have been in Silesia since at least 1210, when they were invited to colonize the swampy land (slightly longer than the English colonists in Massachusetts). The young boy speaks German and Polish, as he was taught by his mother. The older brother, Pawel, however, was of an age between the two World Wars, that he refused to learn German.

Gracian, at 15 years old, likes to sneak out in the middle of the night to gaze upon the stars. He has a special place, a clearing in the forest, but, of course, he risks being shot for violating curfew. His older brother, Pawel Solka, had given Gracian a book on astronomy, which Gracian employs to learn the names of all the constellations. To protect Gracian, Pawel has to nail the window shut, so that Gracian can no longer sneak out. As Gracian works in the coal mines (Silesia is famous for its coal), he learns the story of how Pawel was disgraced by having to serve a sentence in a German prison for smuggling, across the German/Poland border. Gracian begins to understand some of the roots of family conflicts and animosity. (Interestingly, since colonial days in Massachusetts, smuggling has never been disgraceful. Even in recent times, during Prohibition, an Irish-American became rich smuggling in whiskey; his son became President of the United States.)

Using his German speaking skills, Gracian helps Pawel to land a job in another, more distant coal mine. The owners, bosses and foremen are all Germans, Pawel now has job, too, and this pacifies their mother. Things appear to be settling down. Gracian expands his star-watching to people watching, using the telescope that was another gift from his brother, Pawel. Towards the end, Gracian believes that his star watching/people watching might have been responsible for the death of Pawel's girl-friend, Anna. Finally, at the end, Gracian puts away his book and telescope, as with St. Paul: "...when I became a man, I put away childish things". (I Corinthians, 13:7). Jay Basu shows excellent insight into growing up.

Rating:
Summary: Impressive First Novel
Review: "The Stars Can Wait" by Jay Basu, Henry Holt and Company, New York 2002.

Jay Basu has written an impressive first novel dealing with a young boy, Gracian Solka, coming of age in German occupied Silesia, 1939-1940. Germans in Silesia is nothing new. The Germans have been in Silesia since at least 1210, when they were invited to colonize the swampy land (slightly longer than the English colonists in Massachusetts). The young boy speaks German and Polish, as he was taught by his mother. The older brother, Pawel, however, was of an age between the two World Wars, that he refused to learn German.

Gracian, at 15 years old, likes to sneak out in the middle of the night to gaze upon the stars. He has a special place, a clearing in the forest, but, of course, he risks being shot for violating curfew. His older brother, Pawel Solka, had given Gracian a book on astronomy, which Gracian employs to learn the names of all the constellations. To protect Gracian, Pawel has to nail the window shut, so that Gracian can no longer sneak out. As Gracian works in the coal mines (Silesia is famous for its coal), he learns the story of how Pawel was disgraced by having to serve a sentence in a German prison for smuggling, across the German/Poland border. Gracian begins to understand some of the roots of family conflicts and animosity. (Interestingly, since colonial days in Massachusetts, smuggling has never been disgraceful. Even in recent times, during Prohibition, an Irish-American became rich smuggling in whiskey; his son became President of the United States.)

Using his German speaking skills, Gracian helps Pawel to land a job in another, more distant coal mine. The owners, bosses and foremen are all Germans, Pawel now has job, too, and this pacifies their mother. Things appear to be settling down. Gracian expands his star-watching to people watching, using the telescope that was another gift from his brother, Pawel. Towards the end, Gracian believes that his star watching/people watching might have been responsible for the death of Pawel's girl-friend, Anna. Finally, at the end, Gracian puts away his book and telescope, as with St. Paul: "...when I became a man, I put away childish things". (I Corinthians, 13:7). Jay Basu shows excellent insight into growing up.

Rating:
Summary: Beautifully written, quite moving
Review: Jay Basu keeps you mesmerized in this sad but touching story. This is Basu's first novel, and what a splendid job he's done. The story had a few twists, and it was hard to put down. Gracian is a memorable protagonist. He escapes his harsh world of working in a coal mine by wandering out into the woods at night to watch the stars, despite the constant presence of Nazi guards who could kill him. He and the other characters, including his coal mine partner, offer tremendous inspiriation to keep dreaming when life is cruel and seemingly hopeless.

Rating:
Summary: Beautifully written, quite moving
Review: This book was a particularly slow read for such a short book. It was a dull story with little resolution at the end. We read this book as a book club. At our meeting, we sat mystified as to what to discuss. I did not enjoy this attempt at a novel, and would probably not recommend it unless you have time to read it more than once to try to follow the stale story.

Rating:
Summary: Less than celestial
Review: This book was a particularly slow read for such a short book. It was a dull story with little resolution at the end. We read this book as a book club. At our meeting, we sat mystified as to what to discuss. I did not enjoy this attempt at a novel, and would probably not recommend it unless you have time to read it more than once to try to follow the stale story.