The Tiger’s Wife by Tea Obreht

Tea Obreht’s novel The Tiger’s Wife is the winner of this year’s Orange Prize for women’s fiction. Heather has previously reviewed this fabulous book so I won’t go into too much detail, but suffice to say that it is a very deserving winner. It centres on Natalia, a young doctor in an unnamed Balkan country, who is trying to piece together her grandfather’s last days before his mysterious death. Natalia was very close to her grandfather and her life has been full of his wonderful stories, which she remembers as she continues her search. It is a very richly layered and beautifully written novel, so assured that it is difficult to believe that it is the debut novel of such a young writer! I have just recently finished reading it and enjoyed it immensely. Available this month in small format paperback, $20.

The Tiger’s Wife by Tea Obreht

When Tea Obreht was named one of the young writer’s to watch by the New Yorker people sat up, took notice and waited eagerly for her first novel to be published.  The Tiger’s Wife is part historical novel, part fable and is an amazing piece of writing for a debut novel. The story is set in the Balkans with Natalia the main character. She is trying to unravel the mysterious circumstances of her grand father’s death by retracing some of his steps.  Both doctors, she is delivering medicines to an orphanage which has been left pretty much to it’s own devices after the Balkan’s war. Natalia then travels to the village where her grandfather died, to get his belongings and find out what happened to him.  She reflects on the stories he told her, and of his experiences during and after the Second World War.  Her childhood was full of his stories, one of them about a tiger and a young deaf-mute woman who was said to be the Tiger’s Wife.  The story has a magic realism feel to it, and if you enjoyed The Life of Pi you will really like this one. The story won’t be for everyone, but the writing is terrific.  Tea Obreht is an author to watch.