S - TRANSLATOR'S NOTE AND FOREWORD

WARNING: These posts will contain spoilers for anyone who hasn't read the book!



Before even starting Straka's novel, as readers, we are introduced to the mystery of just who is/was V.M.STRAKA?

The annotations from Jen and a mystery reader (although we know his name is Eric from the blurb) help guide us through the opening pages by adding humour and crucial information that we couldn't already know. Eric is a huge source of knowledge on Straka and Jen is the bridge between him and us, asking the questions we all want to know the answers to.

My favourite part so far is how we flit back and forth on the Jen and Eric timeline. When they write in black and blue, it is the first time they are communicating. I think orange and green is a bit later on, red and purple later still and finally when they are both writing in black it could be many years after they first started communicating. The hint we get on the second page when they both write in black makes me think that they are in love by the end or at the very least had a defining impact on each other.

Also, I love how open Jen is from the very beginning, she tells her name straight away and that she has worries about graduating and that she has just been dumped. Whereas Eric is so allusive but I can't help but love his sarcastic charm and like Jen I want to help him.

What we know so far:
Jen is helping Eric so he can stop Prof. Moody cashing in on his work.
V.M.Straka is a bit of a mystery as is F.X.Caldeira the translator (who Eric strongly distrusts)

Are they both really dead? Are they the same person? Did Hemingway really hate Straka?

As Jen says, "and down the rabbit hole we go."


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Rebecca x