Book Review: Bohemia by Veronika Carnaby

• Review: Bohemia
• Series: —
• Author: Veronika Carnaby
• No of Pages: 190
• Release Date: Published September 13th 2012

Synopsis:

In her debut novel, Veronika Carnaby picks up where the Beat Generation left off. Set in 1960, Bohemia chronicles a group of twenty-somethings who defy the “ideals” of a mid-twentieth century society to seek creative fulfillment. In the process, they spotlight the creative path that artists of all mediums tread, all the while depicting the challenges faced by youth in the decade that changed the world.

My thoughts:

Although I didn’t grow up in the time when this book is written about, I am totally a hippie at heart. My friends and family call me a flower child and it’s totally true, I definitely grew up in the wrong era. That being said this book has a certain appeal to me. It brings you closer to that time and how life must have been for free spirited people back then.

It’s quite funny reading something when it seems like it’s in another language! Veronika does such a great job with bringing this time to reality but every time a character says “It’s such a gas!” I wanted to bust out laughing. It was the language of that time though and it fit the book perfectly. It reminds me of the movie Across the Universe but in book form. Fabulously good time reading this and brought an age alive for me that I have never lived. The plot is interesting and does keep a nice movement as the group moves from place to place and as they learn what they are and are not supposed to do. It’s a really interesting  read.

Photography, I learned, was not for the faint of heart, but for the bravest of souls, those who had the stamina to capture something beautifully disastrous or terrifyingly glorious. Now knowing the outcomes and processes, it became evident to me that a camera captured more than a moment in time. It captures life. It encouraged eternity.

Lester is definitely a fly by the seat of his pants kind of guy and the group tends to follow wherever his flightiness will bring them next. Sometimes it was months and months in one place, other times not so much. But each place brought something different to the table. They nearly starved a few times and I always wonder how they would get their food living so strangely and never having a thought as to how to make more money. It was Emm that I liked the most though. She seems so strong and yet so sensitive and just loving to dance. But it is mostly about trying to find yourself and what life is about.

Good, easy read. I listened to the soundtrack from Across the Universe which made the entire Bohemia world evolve for me.

** Book received by the author in return for an honest review **

About the author:

American author and poet, Veronika Carnaby, possesses a vintage charm that transcends well into her written works. Recognized for her Beat-style prose, her pieces have garnered international recognition after appearing in such publications and functions as The Ed Sullivan Show blog, SESAC Magazine, SXSW, Dan’s Papers Literary Journal, and the SESAC New York Music Awards, among others. Whether penning poems, short stories, or novels, Carnaby infuses her writing with a poignancy and passion for 20th century culture.

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Tags: Bohemia, Book review, Veronika Carnaby