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True
to the grace of its title, PALACE OF TEARS unfolds as a mature and
questing tale of true love and the search for self. Restless to
discover his destiny and enchanted by a woman's photo, French winemaker
Casimir journeys to the "East" --- the Ottoman Empire --- in search
of both. Caught in a nightly rapture called the reve a deux with
Casimir is La Poupee, the woman in the photo. Their lucky meeting
in 1869 Constantinople saves the two from separate and unhappy fates.
The
novel takes extreme liberties with history and geography, creating
an obvious jumble of European history that firmly establishes it
as a flight of fancy. Nevertheless, Croutier's writing is flawless,
combining strong physical detail, lyrical phrasing, and short chapters
into a striking contemplation on an individual's right to happiness,
duty to others, and the rules of society. Equally compelling is
the character of Casimir, symbolic as he is of the individual's
struggle against society's conventions in order to pursue the heart's
desire and construct one's own identity. His abandonment of his
wife and children is callous and selfish, but his desperation to
find his true self makes for a strong argument.
While
not a classic romance, PALACE OF TEARS is still a lavish tale. The
genesis of Croutier's idea is a mystery, but her creative storytelling
inspires the imagination. If nothing else, the success of Casimir
and La Poupee's seemingly impossible relationship suggests that
there is no such thing as "star-crossed lovers."
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Reviewed by Sofrina Hinton
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