Metamorfoze – Louis Couperus
Translation: Metamorphosis
First published: 1897
Louis Couperus (1863-1923) was a Dutch author, and more information can be found at wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_Couperus I picked up his books quite recently, when I read the book ‘Langs lijnen van geleidelijkheid’ (Inevitable) by him for Dutch class. I liked it that much, that I promptly made it my number one book on my list and decided I wanted to read more by him. The first book after that I picked up was ‘Metamorfoze’.
The book itself is about a writer who develops himself over time. The book is divided into five parts, each of them being a metamorphosis of said writer Hugo Aylva. How he develops, both in his writing and his character, and how he eventually writes what could be considered his true story.
It sounds a boring book, to cover 300 pages with especially. But I was swept off my feet by it. Maybe it’s because I have writing ambitions myself, I don’t know. It gave me the opportunity to identify with Hugo, especially during the first two parts of the book. After that, he went through developments that haven’t happened to me yet. (Hey, I’m only seventeen!) In fact, it sometimes felt so personal that I was almost afraid to talk with other people about the book. He told about how it feels when you’ve finished a book – that when you look at it, it doesn’t feel like yours anymore. That a book dies to you once you’ve finished it, while it’s been alive for so long in your mind that you’ve considered the characters to be your best friends or even you.
What I loved was that the book has a positive ending, a hopeful ending for the future. You could take it as a general note for life: there will be difficulties, and at times, you’ll think you won’t manage at all. You leave people or they leave you, things won’t run smoothly for a while, but in the end, we can all have a happy ending.
Even though I’m finishing this review over a month after reading the book, it still hasn’t left me. It surely left a big impression, meaning I find it a really good book, in despite of the fact it’s 111 years old. If you are attracted to stories in a story itself, the way of a writer, or if the book and/or its writer just appeal to you, be sure not to miss it out!
