Night Train to Lisbon

Night Train to Lisbon
Original German Cover
Author(s)	Pascal Mercier
Translator	Barbara Harshav
Country	Germany
Language	German
Genre(s)	Novel
Publisher	Carl Hanser Verlag
Publication date	2004
Published in English	2008
Media type	Print (Paperback)
Pages	438 pp first paperback English Edition
ISBN	German ISBN 3-446-20555-1, English Paperback ISBN 978-0-8021-4397-6

Night Train to Lisbon (2004) is a philosophical novel by Pascal Mercier originally published in German in 2004 and published in English in 2008. The novel is an international best seller.^[1] The story follows the travels of Swiss Classics Professor Raimund Gregorius, known as Mundus, as he explores the life of Amadeu de Prado. Prado was a Portuguese Doctor during the era of António de Oliveira Salazar's right wing dictatorship in Portugal. Prado is a heavy thinker whose active mind becomes evident in a collection of his notes collected and read by Mundus through his journeys.

Characters

Raimund Gregorius- Main Character whom the narrator follows throughout the book. Originally a teacher at a Swiss Gymnasium, he decides to travel to Lisbon after he encounters a mysterious woman in Bern. He decides that in order to better understand Amadeu de Prado, the author of a mysterious text he purchases at a foreign language bookshop in Bern, he must travel to Lisbon and meet the people mentioned in his book. His knowledge of ancient languages, Greek, Latin and Hebrew, has gained him the nickname of Mundus among his friends which translates roughly to "worldly."

Amadeu de Prado- Author of the book purchased by Mundus. He lives his life during the Salazar Dictatorship established in 1933 and ending in 1974. Prado, throughout his life, had a strong interest in literature, and because of this awareness begins questioning the world, the experiences he knows, and words contained in conversation and written thought. He writes these ideas in a series of notes and journal entries which his sister, Adriana, edits through and publishes. His life and his thoughts are strongly influenced by the Dictatorship around him. His father is a member of the Dictatorship's supreme court, Prado saves the life of one of the Regime's Chief of Secret police, and, in reaction to others' criticism of him, Prado joins the resistance movement.

Themes

Night Train to Lisbon spends considerable time contemplating ideas, both exploring Gregorious's contemplation of self and exploring de Prado's journal and own philosophical explorations.^[2] Mercier uses various activities and subthemes to help explore these deep self reflective subjects including "night journeys, insomnia and dream-filled sleep, of being stuck in place yet somehow adrift, and confusion about life's purpose." With this introspective perspective, Mercier is able to review concepts of "who we are, how we control our experience of life, and how fragile that construction is." ^[3]

Style

Like the depiction of the city of Lisbon as mysterious and intricate, the text of Night Train to Lisbon is intricate and complicated, sometimes withholding information from the reader.^[2][4] Multiple reviewers also pointed to the thriller qualities the novel takes on despite the philosophical focus of the themes.^[3][4]

Critical reception

Anne Phillips in the The News-Gazette (Champaign-Urbana, IL) noted said that Night Train to Lisbon was "reminiscent of Carlos Ruiz Zafon's "The Shadow of the Wind" and commented that "mystery romance and political intrigue" keep the pages turning.^[5] Robert Moyle of the Herald Sun also points out how engaging Night Train to Lisbon is, pointing out how easy it is for the reader to identify with Gregorius.^[3] Daniel Johnson of the The Telegraph placed Mercier, with this novel, amongst the best European novelists alive.^[4]

References

1. ^ Paul, Steve (June 9, 2008). "Suggestions for all you Night time readers". The Kansas City Star.  (Accessed in NewsBank Database (Requires Subscription))
2. ^ ^{a b} "The Irish Times: Go Read". Irish Times. February 14, 2009.  (Accessed in NewsBank Database (Requires subscription))
3. ^ ^{a b c} Moyle, Robin (June 7, 2008). "Riddle in Portuguese". Herald Sun (Melbourne, Australia).  (Accessed on NewsBank database (Subscription required)
4. ^ ^{a b c} Johnson, Daniel (24 Feb 2008). "Throwing in one life to look for another". Telegraph (UK). http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/fictionreviews/3671409/Throwing-in-one-life-to-look-for-another.html. Retrieved 24 April 2011. 
5. ^ Phillips, Anne (August 9, 2009). "Works mix, ponder illusions and reality". The News-Gazette (Champaign-Urbana, IL).  (Accessed in NewsBank database (Requires subscription))

External links

• Review in Die Welt (German)
• Review in Die Zeit (German)