Customer Reviews

The Translation of Dr. Apelles (Vintage Contemporaries)

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The Translation of Dr. Apelles is a book that sneaks up on you and takes you to unexpected places.

The novel has two intertwined stories. There is the star-crossed love of Eta and Bimaadiz, two Indian children who are found and raised by families in Agencytown. They are both beautiful and innocent, and much of their struggle is the result of these characteristics. Since they are both the only children of their adoptive families, and they share a love of hunting and trapping, they often find themselves working together. Their love grows as they do, but not as simply. Jealous friends, marauding war bands, and plain misunderstanding keep them apart.

The other story is of Dr. Apelles, who is translating the story of the children. He learns as much about himself as he does of the story. We are introduced to him as he realizes that he has never truly loved or been loved. As his story alternates with that of Eta and Bimaadiz, we see him come more alive to the people around him and learn the nature and pain of loving. We meet Campaspe, a woman who works with him at RECAP, and who is attracted to Dr. Apelles long before he finds himself to be attractive. Their relationship is also challenging, not so much because of external events, but because of their own idiosyncrasies.

This novel is written in a style (which appears old fashioned) with a narrator who knows everything that is going to happen and who shares snippets of this omniscience you. The stories take on a life of their own with characters that are well rounded and believable. The result is a very readable book with a wonderfully satisfying conclusion.

Few books make me say, "That was a good book" at their end. This was one.

Armchair Interviews agrees.

I don't read novels (I'm a memoir autor and creative non-fiction fanatic) but I plowed through "Apelles" in a record 48 hours. The language is so sensual and rich, the details so sharp, the sexuality so subtle, and the story builds so swiftly, I couldn't stop reading. The narrator's voice grabs you from the first page and reveals, little by little, the depths of the characters. Writers will especially relate to Dr. Apelles, but this book appeals to both men and women of any interests. I also appreciate Treuer's wry humor and how he pokes fun at his own genre throughout.

Nothing else I could say would do justice to this amazing book. Truly, a novel beautiful beyond words. You simply have to experience it for yourself. I can't wait to read it again!

~Erica Rivera, author of "INSATIABLE: A Young Mother's Struggle with Anorexia"
Insatiable: A Young Mother's Struggle with Anorexia

The book, written by a Native American is quite different from anything I have read lately. Intriguing, but sometimes confusing, would be the description of the reading experience.