The Miracle Game

Lynne Hughes teaches communication arts at the University of Calgary.

The Miracle Game is a mystery, a love story, and a chronicle of history
and political science combined into one energetically written and
suspenseful novel. Its protagonist, Danny Smiricky, is a teacher and
writer; he recounts in this first-person narrative his experiences in
Czechoslovakia as Communist forces take control and in turn themselves
are altered. The narrator describes in detail the subtle as well as
blatant effects of communism and socialism on many areas—education,
the press, literature, religion, and even the expression of sexuality.
Various characters from all walks of life are portrayed fully; Danny
interacts with artists, writers, doctors, nurses, and government
officials, among others. The school principal, Ivana, the student Vixi,
and the quiet priest Father Doufal stand out as particularly memorable.

Skvorecky humorously and poignantly presents the far-reaching changes
that an ideology can bring about in a society. Some of the most moving
sections illustrate characters denouncing loved ones because of their
politically inappropriate beliefs and behavior. Notwithstanding social
and personal upheavals, the novelist appears to affirm spirituality and
love in an oppressive environment: characters celebrate their lives
despite discouragement.

The book may put off some readers: it is long, detailed, and fairly
complex. An awareness of the political happenings and climate in
Czechoslovakia in this century would be helpful to the appreciation of
the novel. Nonetheless, The Miracle Game remains a colorful and tender
portrait of the triumph of the human spirit.