Call it the night

Author: Oz (A) / Zhuang Yan
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-04-01
Features: In their middle years, Theo and Noa have no children, but they are not lacking passion. They met in South America, fell deeply in love, and have been living together for eight years. Theo is a semi-retired town planner, cynical and resistant to the outside world. Noa is a teacher, fifteen years younger than Theo, and yearns for change and purpose. Their relationship suddenly falls into crisis due to the mysterious death of Noa's student, Emanuel, which may be linked to drugs. When Noa becomes involved in a community project to commemorate the boy, the balance between her and Theo begins to waver. The story takes place in a new city on the edge of the desert, showcasing the two characters' vastly different perspectives on the same event: Theo is fervent yet somewhat cynical, sarcastic, while Noa is impatient yet idealistic. The mystery of the boy's death gradually unfolds against the backdrop of the eccentric and exaggerated characters in the desolate desert town—such as the enigmatic but unforgettable Emanuel's father, who tells a strange story about an orphaned gorilla; the hedonistic clown Muchi; the perpetual defender Lud; the optimistic divorced woman Linda; the formidable mayor Bartchiva; the regulars at the California café; and even Emanuel's scruffy, floppy-eared dog. Through a gentle and wise narrative style, Amos Oz tells a story about the stifled ambition and bittersweet love that never fully blossoms—using mild humor and an insightful analysis of a lover's relationship to reveal the earth-shattering conspiracy in the small town.