Review of AKIN by Emma Donoghue

3.5 Stars

Noah Selvaggio, a retired chemistry professor living in New York, decides to make a trip to Nice, France, for his 80^th birthday.  He hasn’t been back since he was four years old.  His plans are altered when he becomes a temporary guardian for his 11-year-old great-nephew Michael.  Since there is no one else to care for Michael, the childless widower agrees to look after him in the short term and takes him to France.

While in France, Noah tries to uncover the significance of some photos his mother left behind.  They were apparently taken during World War II in Nice, after Noah’s mother had sent him to the U.S.  Why did his mother abandon him for two years?  With the help of the tech-savvy Michael, Noah is able to find some answers to his questions. 

The mystery surrounding Noah’s mother is not difficult to solve.  I found that Noah tends to jump to conclusions when other possibilities are so obvious.  He talks about “’the law of closure.  Like closing a gap.  The viewer fills in what they don’t see, what’s missing.’”  The problem is that Noah does not behave like an 80-year-old man who was a scientist.  Considering his age and his background, he should certainly be more cautious and considered when making inferences.

It is the character of Michael that makes the novel.  His behaviour rings so true.  He’s street-wise and defiant; he’s often foul-mouthed and tends to be glued to his cell phone on which he constantly plays games.  As would be expected of a boy his age, he loves scatological humour.  His attention span tends to be limited.  Beneath the bravado however, there is a child who has experienced loss and has a number of stresses in his life. 

The repartee between Noah and Michael emphasizes the gulf between the two.  There is the obvious age gap but there are other differences as well.  Noah would be considered wealthy, living in a tony part of the city, whereas Michael comes from an impoverished background and has lived in a rough neighbourhood where safety is a major concern.  It is inevitable that conflicts and misunderstandings arise, especially because Noah tends to make assumptions about Michael’s upbringing.

There is also humour because of their different interests.  Michael’s attire makes little sense to Noah:  “Michael’s T-shirt said WINTER IS COMING, which seemed belated, in February.”  The Game of Thrones reference means nothing to Noah.  Likewise, Noah’s old fedora has Michael commenting, “’What’s up with that hat?’”  When Noah explains that the hat is an heirloom, Michael asks, “’What’s an air loom?’”   Noah tends to be pedantic and Michael just tunes out. 

As is expected, the two learn from each other.  Though Michael often seems to be inattentive, he proves that he has learned some of Noah’s lessons.  Noah realizes his biases and decides that there may be little to mark his time on earth, “only any individual’s short, incalculable tally,” but he can perhaps help Michael:  “But really all Noah was attempting to do was fill a gap; throw his ungainly self down so the kid could cross over the abyss.  Weren’t we all of us bridges for each other, one way or another?”

I’ve read most of Emma Donoghue’s books.  I’m not sure I’d rank this one among her best, but it is brisk and entertaining.  Though somewhat predictable, it has a truly authentic character in Michael, and for him and his verbal exchanges with Noah, the book is worth reading.