The Stars Can Wait: A Novel

By Jay Basu

Book Overview

In this powerful debut set in 1940s German-occupied Poland, a young Catholic boy unearths the secrets of his brother's mysterious life. Fifteen-year-old Gracian Sofka is a stargazer. Every night for the past year he has broken curfew to view the constellations from a clearing in the forest-that is, until his older brother, Pawel, discovers his secret pastime. And now that the German troops have stepped up patrols of the area, the gruff, mysterious Pawel forbids his brother to continue his risky activity. Life in the previously quiet village of Malenkowice grows increasingly precarious. Men are accosted on the street by German soldiers, Gracian's widowed mother risks imprisonment to smuggle food, and Gracian's co-workers at the coal mines grow restless. As tension builds in the town, it also grows within Gracian's own household. After a run-in with his sister's husband, Pawel is forced to leave the house, becoming even more distant and elusive in Gracian's eyes. Then one day Pawel presents Gracian with a telescope, allowing the boy to slowly discover the truth about his brother's shadowy past. But while he succeeds in unlocking Pawel's secrets, Gracian is blind to the inevitable tragedy hurtling toward them all-and to his unwitting role as its catalyst. Haunting and lyrical, The Stars Can Wait possesses the intense, concentrated power of a fable and introduces a stunning new voice to American readers.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0805068872
• ISBN13: 9780805068870
• Release Date: February 2002
• Publisher: Henry Holt and Co.
• Length: 192 Pages
• Weight: 0.80 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.6" x 0.8" x 5.6"

Customer Reviews

Impressive First Novel

"The Stars Can Wait" by Jay Basu, Henry Holt and Company, New York 2002.Jay Basu has written an impressive first novel dealing with a young boy, Gracian Solka, coming of age in German occupied Silesia, 1939-1940. Germans in Silesia is nothing new. The Germans have been in Silesia since at least 1210, when they were invited to colonize the swampy land (slightly longer than the English colonists in Massachusetts). The young boy speaks German and Polish, as he was taught by his mother. The older brother, Pawel, however, was of an age between the two World Wars, that he refused to learn German. Gracian, at 15 years old, likes to sneak out in the middle of the night to gaze upon the stars. He has a special place, a clearing in the forest, but, of course, he risks being shot for violating curfew. His older brother, Pawel Solka, had given Gracian a book on astronomy, which Gracian employs to learn the names of all the constellations. To protect Gracian, Pawel has to nail the window shut, so that Gracian can no longer sneak out. As Gracian works in the coal mines (Silesia is famous for its coal), he learns the story of how Pawel was disgraced by having to serve a sentence in a German prison for smuggling, across the German/Poland border. Gracian begins to understand some of the roots of family conflicts and animosity. (Interestingly, since colonial days in Massachusetts, smuggling has never been disgraceful. Even in recent times, during Prohibition, an Irish-American became rich smuggling in whiskey; his son became President of the United States.)Using his German speaking skills, Gracian helps Pawel to land a job in another, more distant coal mine. The owners, bosses and foremen are all Germans, Pawel now has job, too, and this pacifies their mother. Things appear to be settling down. Gracian expands his star-watching to people watching, using the telescope that was another gift from his brother, Pawel. Towards the end, Gracian believes that his star watching/people watching might have been responsible for the death of Pawel's girl-friend, Anna. Finally, at the end, Gracian puts away his book and telescope, as with St. Paul: "...when I became a man, I put away childish things". (I Corinthians, 13:7). Jay Basu shows excellent insight into growing up.

Beautifully written, quite moving

Jay Basu keeps you mesmerized in this sad but touching story. This is Basu's first novel, and what a splendid job he's done. The story had a few twists, and it was hard to put down. Gracian is a memorable protagonist. He escapes his harsh world of working in a coal mine by wandering out into the woods at night to watch the stars, despite the constant presence of Nazi guards who could kill him. He and the other characters, including his coal mine partner, offer tremendous inspiriation to keep dreaming when life is cruel and seemingly hopeless.