Flights of Love: Stories Review

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(More customer reviews)This is the first book I have read by Bernhard Schlink. Based upon this initial exposure to his work, I look forward to reading other books he has written that are being translated for publication in the USA. "Flights Of Love", is not a collection of sentimental love stories. None of these 7 tales qualify as a Hallmark Card Moment. All 7 stories have males at the center of the issues/conflicts, and the concepts of love that are explored vary widely. Several of the stories are about the lack of love, love that has missed its opportunity because of active or passive neglect.
The situations Mr. Schlink explores are at times extremely volatile. One of the best stories, and the more traditional, centers on a relationship between two young people. Beyond this one fact the author lights a match and holds it precariously close to a very short fuse. The young man is German and Christian, while his girlfriend is Jewish with a family that lives in New York that was directly and savagely victimized by The Holocaust. Fifty years have passed since the end of the war, but time will never heal this wound, and this couple is in the middle of conflicting philosophies. The idea that sons should not be held responsible for their father's or grandfather's sins is an idea that is embraced in theory. However in practice, her family and friends see him as German first just as his family notes she is a Jew, and rapidly wind up in conflict between the necessity of never forgetting, and the feeling that they are forever cursed as Germans. This all sounds very familiar until the boyfriend makes the decision to convert. He also makes a decision to have a procedure that any adult male would visibly wince at the thought of. This decision and the events that follow make the story unique and worth reading.
"Girl With Lizard", may sound a bit odd as a title. However the author takes you through decades of strife that is caused by the painting that is the title of the story, and brings it to a conclusion that is poignant without appearing to be just a clever sleight of hand. In, "Sugar Peas", the author again takes the familiar concept of a love triangle and literally changes its shape, abruptly interrupts the narrative, and then delivers an ending that I don't believe most readers will see coming. I do believe most readers will find the ending a satisfying one.
These are great stories of varying length that all are worth reading, and will likely cause you to add a new author to your list of people to read.

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