The Translation of Dr. Apelles: A Love Story

by David Treuer

Book Overview

Dr. Apelles, a translator of ancient texts, has made an unsettling discovery: a manuscript that has languished for years, written in a language that only he speaks. Moving back and forth between the... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0307386627
• ISBN13: 9780307386625
• Release Date: February 2008
• Publisher: Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group
• Length: 336 Pages
• Weight: 0.60 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.5" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

This IS a good book!

The Translation of Dr. Apelles is a book that sneaks up on you and takes you to unexpected places. The novel has two intertwined stories. There is the star-crossed love of Eta and Bimaadiz, two Indian children who are found and raised by families in Agencytown. They are both beautiful and innocent, and much of their struggle is the result of these characteristics. Since they are both the only children of their adoptive families, and they share a love of hunting and trapping, they often find themselves working together. Their love grows as they do, but not as simply. Jealous friends, marauding war bands, and plain misunderstanding keep them apart. The other story is of Dr. Apelles, who is translating the story of the children. He learns as much about himself as he does of the story. We are introduced to him as he realizes that he has never truly loved or been loved. As his story alternates with that of Eta and Bimaadiz, we see him come more alive to the people around him and learn the nature and pain of loving. We meet Campaspe, a woman who works with him at RECAP, and who is attracted to Dr. Apelles long before he finds himself to be attractive. Their relationship is also challenging, not so much because of external events, but because of their own idiosyncrasies. This novel is written in a style (which appears old fashioned) with a narrator who knows everything that is going to happen and who shares snippets of this omniscience you. The stories take on a life of their own with characters that are well rounded and believable. The result is a very readable book with a wonderfully satisfying conclusion. Few books make me say, "That was a good book" at their end. This was one. Armchair Interviews agrees.

beautiful moving story

Treuer finds an enduring theme which translates across all cultures and nationalties-love. the love stories on both levels were moving and touching. I liked the contrast between the beautiful indian lovers from the translation Bimaadiz and Eta they are noble, and beautiful like lovers in a fairytale. Apelles is not very socially graceful and lives a lonely isolated life nothing like the brave warrior Bimaadiz. Campapse is beautiful, but is nothing like Eta. This novel does not work unless Treuer can move the readers to sympathize and feel for his characters and he achieves it beautifully.

A great book for many audiences

The Translation of Dr. Apelles is a great story for those interested in some good "beach reading" and a fantastic literary criticism of what Treuer calls "Native American Fiction" for those interested in the field of indigenous authors. Treuer's style is highly readable yet very complex and symbolic at the same time. The book is full of allusions and referenes to past literary works (see Hall's review) but can be read simply for pleasure as well.