The End of Days : Jenny Erpenbeck

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 When I decided to write a novel set in Mesopotamian campaign during the First World War and India, especially Bengali’s involvement in the great war; and started reading a selection of fiction and non-fictions based on it. But in the course of time, I have come across some readings with a high surprise as I didn’t expect that they will be added on the Mesopotamian reading list.

Very recently I have read Bulgarian novelist Georgi Gospodinov’s Time Shelter (2022), winner of the International Booker Prize 2023, I had been expecting a vignette of the great war but when I did truly find the origins of war narrated in the book, I felt a euphoria. And when I have started reading German novelist Jenny Erpenbeck’s The End of Days (2014), which has been nominated for the 2024 Neustadt International Prize for Literature, is also told exquisitely about WWI in Vienna.

 

I have noticed two seamless things in both novels, firstly, both are set in the out of their home country, Time Shelter mostly in Switzerland and The End of Days mostly in Russia & Austria, thought they covered almost all over Europe of Twentieth century; so, to speak, both are very cosmopolitan in their core nature and that’s the way I am mostly interested now a days. I am afraid what will be the reaction if I write a novel set in beyond boundary both out of land & language. I think if it fails it will make a huge shout. Secondly, I have started reading the Booker shortlist with Time Shelter and coincidently I have started the Neustadt finalist with The End of Days; who knows it may also be the winner this year.

Surprisingly, like all my fellow countrymen, I have been maddened about current political derangement generally in the South Asian regions. I have been fancying that human intelligence is not enough to run modern politics therefore we should shift to artificial intelligence to rearrange politics. I have posted a couplet on political stupidity the day before yesterday; incidentally, I have found a political joke in the novel which is seamlessly relevant to the present.

 

Three prisoners are sitting in a cell and they get to talking.

 

Why are you in prison?

I was for Bukharin.

What about you?

I was against Bukharin.

And you?

I am Bukharin.




 The End of Days (2014)

Aller Tage Abend (2012)

Jenny Erpenbeck 

trans. Susan Bernofsky

German, Germany

 

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