- January 25, 2023
The attack - Novel - Harry Mulisch - Actes Sud, 2001
One evening in 1945 in the Netherlands, 12-year-old Anton's life is turned upside down. The body of a collaborator, shot by the Resistance, is found outside the family home. The Germans burst in. The house is set on fire. Anton is separated from his family, whom he will never see again. Now a doctor, Anton seems to have overcome the tragedy, but various events bring the past to the surface. This novel by Harry Mulisch, the great Dutch writer, evokes the symptoms of PTSD long before they became better known to the general public. After the murder of his family and the destruction of all familiar surroundings, Anton tries to build a life for himself. By chance, he meets people linked to the protagonists of that January night that changed his life and changed him too. The logic of the event is far more complex and confusing. While Anton remains scarred for life, he was also protected from a more serious trauma by an encounter, a proof of humanity and gentleness that sustained him throughout his life. The novel finely describes the unique and complex quality of every person's journey after a traumatic event. The tragedy remains one of the threads in the protagonist's web of life, which remains solid thanks to an unexpected gesture of caring. A fine novel on the question of meaning and possible healing after a traumatic episode.
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