The Shadow Catcher: A Novel [Hardcover]

Andrzej Szczypiorski (Author), Bill Johnston (Translator)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1997

Andrzej Szczypiorski is one of the major figures in world literature. In The Shadow Catcher, he tells the story of a boy who comes of age as the world around him begins to fall apart. At fifteen, Krzys is the adored and sheltered son of a wealthy Polish family; it is the moment just before World War II, which will forever change their lives, but Krzys is only partly aware of what is happening around him. He lives in a world shrouded in silent cries and fleeting whispers -- here his awakening into manhood is accompanied by a sense of imminent doom. The Shadow Catcher is a richly evocative, heartbreaking novel about the loss of innocence and the vanishing of the old world.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Published originally in 1976, The Shadow Catcher is the fourth of Polish writer Andrzej Szczypiorski's novels to appear in English. The protagonist is 15-year-old Krzys, a sensitive boy who, in the summer of 1939, goes on holiday to the country. Rumors of war waft on the periphery, but no one takes them seriously. Over the course of just a few days, young Krzys falls in love, explores the nature of identity, faith and passion, and meditates on the position of the large Jewish population in Poland--a community the boy considers an integral part of his nation. The novel ends before war is declared, but readers know the eventual fates of both Poland and its Jews during the Nazi occupation. The Shadow Catcher is not so much a historical novel as a remembrance of a world about to disappear forever and the unsuspecting souls who peopled it.

From Booklist

Krzys is 15 and awakening to consciousness. Unfortunately, he chose a bad time and place: Poland, 1939, on a summer visit to the country home of his father's friend, Pilecki. There, he meets Pilecki's attractive niece and old aunts and learns of love, death, and religion. He is taken hunting and reads Madame Bovary; Bovary is more to his liking. He discovers his separateness, which makes him feel lonely but also awakens him to the world's beauty and mystery. Conflict arises mostly when he struggles internally or transgresses societal manners; otherwise, the book works more through suggestive detail and parallel situations. Szczypiorski does a lot with a little, making one action or thought resonate with another to vividly detail his characters and animate his story. His provocative musing, whether in a character's mind, dialogue, or situation, provides plenty of food for thought. Szczypiorski fought in the Polish resistance and knows well the subtleties and vagaries of Polish beliefs and lives at that fateful time in history. Kevin Grandfield

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 161 pages
• Publisher: Grove Pr; 1st edition (March 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0802116019
• ISBN-13: 978-0802116017
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,111,373 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Terrific writing, detail, and word usage with a nice flow., June 1, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Shadow Catcher: A Novel (Andrze Szczypiorski) (Paperback)

Szczypiorski wirtes a terrificly laid out easy flowing story that traces a young boys transition from innocence to his reality of the world he lives in which he has long been sheltered from. The book is in fact a very captivating story that enables the reader to visualize the author's smooth, specific details. I reccomend this book to all for its beatuiful writing and captivating story! My compliments to the author on a wonderful job.