American photographer Stephen Brings has fled a troubled relationship in Chicago and the painful memory of a kidnapped and still-missing son, only to stumble into the Balkans at the outbreak of the civil wars. As he drifts through the countryside, Stephen struggles to resolve the trauma and sorrow of losing his son, and soon the landscape begins to mirror his own inner battles. After a return trip to America fails to heal the rift between himself and the mother of his child, Stephen returns to Sarajevo, where he begins a project to document images of the Bosnian people--not war images, but personal portraits of an embattled nation. There he finds himself falling in love with a German journalist, who helps to heal his ailing body and to overcome his tragic loss. The Goat Bridge is an unforgettable tale of memory and oblivion, a probing story of loss and redemption, of letting go and holding on, and of the universal human search for meaning. In the end, it is also a love story about finding the wisdom and courage to surrender to one's own and another's heart.
Photography, foreign conflict and the power of human relationships wrapped together in a compelling story of a journalist struggling with loss in wartime Bosnia. This novel will make you think, appreciate and question before turning each page. The nature of perspective, the desire to persevere, the relationship that works...another example of McNally's genius.
A Gorgeous Novel
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 19 years ago
It has been a long time since I have read a novel that has such power, depth, and insight. Knowing very little about the events in the Balkans, and having lost a son myself, I picked this book up not sure what to expect. I was not let down. Unlike other reviewers, I don't feel compelled to explain the story line or plot. You can read that for yourself. But I do feel compelled to recommend this book to anyone seeking a well-written, thought-provoking book.
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