The Notebook: The Proof ; The Third Lie : Three Novels (The Notebook Trilogy) [B2029]

1997 PB with just minor wear. These three internationally acclaimed novels have confirmed Agota Kristof's reputation as one of the most provocative exponents of new-wave European fiction. With all the stark simplicity of a fractured fairy tale, the trilogy tells the story of twin brothers, Claus and Lucas, locked in an agonizing bond that becomes a gripping allegory of the forces that have divided 'brothers' in much of Europe since World War II. Kristof's postmodern saga begins with The Notebook, in which the brothers are children, lost in a country torn apart by conflict, who must learn every trick of evil and cruelty merely to survive. In The Proof, Lucas is challenging to prove his own identity and the existence of his missing brother, a defector to the 'other side'. The Third Lie, which closes the trilogy, is a biting parable of Eastern and Western Europe today and a deep exploration into the nature of identity, storytelling, and the truths and untruths that lie at the heart of them all. "Stark and haunting." - The San Francisco Chronicle; "A vision of considerable depth and complexity, a powerful portrait of the nobility and perversity of the human heart." - The Christian Science Monitor.

From recent Amazon/GoodReads reviews: "Devastating, dream-like, and unlike anything you've ever read. The Notebook trilogy by Agota Kristof is now firmly in the top five of one of my all-time favourite novels. The first book in this trilogy (The Notebook) is absolutely devastating, and stayed with me for days after I first read it. The sequels (The Proof; The Third Lie) take a different route and diverge from the original book, but are nonetheless masterpieces. Together, they form an unparalleled exploration of the horrors of the 20th century in Europe: first via a rather shocking child-like narrative; and later via the lens of forgetfulness and remembrance across decades. A shame that this utterly unique trilogy isn't more well-known in the English-speaking world."; "genius genius genius genius genius."; "Reading these books really makes me wonder what the author had been through in her life. (did a little research afterwards and it's really something.) Finished 2 and 3 in one day. Profound, dark, raw, and brutal."; "An absolute masterpiece: a pure guidance to the deepest layer of oneself. Moreover, the marvelous architecture of different narrative points of view drives the reader to blind alleys and to a perpetual reconstruction of itself. Unique."