Held (2023) by Anne Michaels

 Book Review

Held (2023)

by Anne Michaels

  Held by Canadian poetess/novelist Anne Michaels is the fifth of the six Booker shortlisted novels I've read this year.  The last, Stone Yard Devotional, is not out in the USA yet. I listened the live announcement of the shortlist this year on YouTube and one of the things the presenting Judge said is that REREADABILITY is an important characteristic of the Booker Prize since all of the Judges read all of the longlisted and shortlisted titles more than once in the course of the Judging period.  They start out with something over 100 books, which I have to believe they divide up, but after that the rereading begins.  I thought that was interesting because I almost NEVER reread books, and indeed, those books I've read more than once are basically books I'm OBSESSED with. 

 There are different ways to consider re-reading.  The first, is the passion for the book angle.  The second would be that the book is too complicated to be understood the first time, which also is congruent with the modernist-influenced prose favored by people "in the business" (i.e. English professors, graduate students) of literature.   So when I tell you that I would need to read this book again, like, immediately, to really get what was going on- take it as a compliment. I can tell you it takes place in several time periods, that the characters are related, that most of it takes place in England in the early 20th century, though several chapters take place in France during World War I. 

  Maybe that means Held is the winner- because it is the most difficult and therefore the most obviously re-readable book?   We will find out!