Everything Is Illuminated by Jonathan Safran Foer

“In the sunset of dissolution, everything is illuminated by the aura of nostalgia, even the guillotine.”

― Milan Kundera, The Unbearable Lightness Of Being

 I have postponed reading this book for way too long. Mainly because I didn’t want to read some ridiculous and offensive stuff about my country and my people from the point of view of a foreigner. But I did read it and that was a good decision.

Firstly, this book may seem strange. That’s because it has several plotlines. As far as I noticed, that is Foer’s thing and you should use to it.

Second thing I want to point is that the writing is astonishing. Yet another Foer’s thing and it’s the best. You can never mistake his style of writing with someone else’s. His words and sentences are practically bleeding. They aren’t words, they are emotions composed with letters and sounds. His writing made me fell in love with him.

As to the depictions of people and country, I wasn’t upset at all. Everything is quite on point and I’m glad about it. Some things people would never guess unless they visited Ukraine themselves therefore I thing Foer had.


I don’t want to mention plot or characters; I actually don’t like spoiling it. I truly recommend the book and the film to anyone, it’s a classic dramedy – you cry a lot and laugh a lot. Well done, Mr. Foer!