“The Harvesters” by Jasmina Odor

Mira and her grown nephew, Bernard, are taking a short trip to Paris on their way to Croatia to visit their mother/grandmother after her ministroke. Their pasts threaten to derail the trip as each wrestles with the role they played in the disappointments of their own lives. Mira is divorced and untethered. Is she looking for an old flame, seeking something new, or nothing at all? Does she belong with her mother in Croatia, the country she left behind during the Yugoslav Wars? Bernard struggles to understand his role in losing his first love.  Can these characters break through their pasts to see each other now? To see themselves as they really are?

The true delight of this novel lies in the author’s writing style. Crafted in a captivating blend of stream-of-consciousness and dual POV, the narrative draws the reader into an intimate connection with one character at a time. The following quote serves as an example of Jasmina Odor’s keen writing prowess:

“She backs up and dismounts too and leans over to look. One of the pigeon’s wings hangs funny, like a part has come loose. What small parts do pigeons have under their feathers?

Bones, of course, get a grip.”

The author not only has a way with words, but a powerful ability of storytelling by absence. There is as much reading to be done in the white spaces as in the words on the page. Mira and Bernard are unable to communicate successfully, each aggravating the other without any real understanding of what they did wrong. It is the reader’s privilege to filter through these miscommunications and dive into the hurts that each character carries.

The novel isn’t plot-driven, so it is unlikely to appeal to readers who are looking for “a lot to happen.” The focus is on character and memory. The Harvesters is for readers willing to engage with the writing and who enjoy diving into the characters’ inner lives while wandering around the less glamorous parts of Paris.

Thank you to Freehand Books and NetGalley for sending me an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. The Harvesters by Jasmina Odor comes out on May 1^st!

For writers looking to learn more about writing by reading this novel, you will find plenty of examples of some of the best techniques.

Rule of Three

“He’s loose and kind and just unpredictable enough.”

This quote uses the rule of three and elevates it by writing out the word ‘and’ between each of the character traits and by having the last trait be slightly different than the first two. The double use of ‘and’ allows each trait to sit on a little pedestal of its own.

Metaphor

“The future was a shapeless thing, a knotty property somewhere in the hills, without clear boundary lines. She didn’t know what kind of dwelling it could support but felt some urgency to fence and landscape it.”

This metaphor is lengthened to allow it to encompass a deeper meaning and depth. The future isn’t just the unknown but something she is trying to gain control over.

Word Choice

“The young woman looks as if she hasn’t a laugh in any of her bones.”

The use of ‘laugh’ in this sentence is exquisite. It is probably my favorite quote from the novel. Obviously, we don’t laugh in our bones, but the sadness this sentence can project is physical.