Emotional Arithmetic

June M. Blurton is a retired speech/language pathologist.

Cohen is a Canadian writer. This, his tenth novel, is about survivors,
and about their reactions to the scars their victimization produced.
Yet, despite the grim material, the writing is not solemn. Cohen’s
touch is light, and many of the scenes are subtly funny.

The three main characters had been thrown together in a German
concentration camp during World War II; some 45 years later, they meet
again in Canada. They are not really pleasant people. Empathizing with
them and applauding their admirable traits is easy, but liking them is
less so.

Cohen has written part of the book from the viewpoint of the son of one
of the main characters, and part from the omnipotent viewpoint. This
format produces a certain amount of confusion, and does not add to the
reader’s appreciation of the characters’ emotional state. Cohen may
have used this device to drive home his perception that horrific
experiences will remain the basis for all actions.

Despite its flaws, this book gives tremendous insight into the
devastating effects of any form of persecution.