Sign in with Facebook
Geoff Wooldridge's Reviews > The Concert
The Concert
by
by
Written in the 1980s but set in the 1970s, Ismail Kadare's The Concert is a black comedy about the breakdown in Sino-Albanian relationships, especially following the death of Mao Zedong.
The concert, which provides the title of the novel, plays only a very small part of this book about political machinations in both China and Albania. But it does signify the critical point at which Mao's death first becomes known.
The parts of the book set in Albania deal mostly with the lives of ordinary people, although there are plenty of political and military connections.
The husband of Silva, a key character, is Gjergi, a diplomat of sorts, who travels frequently between Albania and China on various delegations.
There are numerous scenes set in the government office where Silva works, which provides some insights into the workings of the Albanian government. There are also numerous references to Silva's dead sister, Ana, and the complex network of relationships between some of the characters.
The parts of the novel set in China are mostly to do with the political activities of its senior officials, including Mao, Zhou Enlai and other members of the Politburo. There are plots aplenty amongst Mao's potential rivals, which leads ultimately to the death of Lin Biao in bizarre circumstances. But it is clear that Mao is losing his mind and his life.
Meanwhile, in Albania, encouraged by Zhou Enlai, an Albanian Minister orders a tank unit on manouvres to surround a Party Committee, but the order is refused by the tanks commanders, one of whom is Silva's brother.
This leads to a strange series of events, where initially the officers are expelled from the Party and jailed. They are soon released and an enquiry is held into the Minister's actions.
Following the death of Mao Zedong, there is significant political turmoil in China as rivals jostle for power, and the deterioration of the Sino-Chinese relationship is accelerated to total breakdown, just as the Albanian relationship with Russia was expunged several years earlier.
This is a complex but darkly humorous novel, about a series of event I had little previous knowledge of, but I found it just a little dull at times.
Perhaps only just 4 stars.
The concert, which provides the title of the novel, plays only a very small part of this book about political machinations in both China and Albania. But it does signify the critical point at which Mao's death first becomes known.
The parts of the book set in Albania deal mostly with the lives of ordinary people, although there are plenty of political and military connections.
The husband of Silva, a key character, is Gjergi, a diplomat of sorts, who travels frequently between Albania and China on various delegations.
There are numerous scenes set in the government office where Silva works, which provides some insights into the workings of the Albanian government. There are also numerous references to Silva's dead sister, Ana, and the complex network of relationships between some of the characters.
The parts of the novel set in China are mostly to do with the political activities of its senior officials, including Mao, Zhou Enlai and other members of the Politburo. There are plots aplenty amongst Mao's potential rivals, which leads ultimately to the death of Lin Biao in bizarre circumstances. But it is clear that Mao is losing his mind and his life.
Meanwhile, in Albania, encouraged by Zhou Enlai, an Albanian Minister orders a tank unit on manouvres to surround a Party Committee, but the order is refused by the tanks commanders, one of whom is Silva's brother.
This leads to a strange series of events, where initially the officers are expelled from the Party and jailed. They are soon released and an enquiry is held into the Minister's actions.
Following the death of Mao Zedong, there is significant political turmoil in China as rivals jostle for power, and the deterioration of the Sino-Chinese relationship is accelerated to total breakdown, just as the Albanian relationship with Russia was expunged several years earlier.
This is a complex but darkly humorous novel, about a series of event I had little previous knowledge of, but I found it just a little dull at times.
Perhaps only just 4 stars.
Sign into Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ to see if any of your friends have read
The Concert.
Sign In »
