Reading any novel usually generates a whole array of questions in the reader’s mind. Feather on the Breath of God, by Sigrid Nunez made me generate other sort of questions, which not every other book would raise in my mind. How did Nunez have enough courage to write some of the things she wrote about her family, but more importantly to speak so effortlessly and frankly about her own life? Not everyone has the guts to admit to some of the things he or she did, but that wasn’t the case with Sigrid Nunez. She is the definition of the person who is an open book.
Sigrid Nunez’s childhood wasn’t that of every other person. She was born to a German mother and an older Chinese father, who hardly spoke any English. The communication between her parents was limited due to the lack of language. Clearly, her family was not what an average person would consider “normal.” There are many people in this world who do not know much about their fathers, mothers or even both. That is usually because for whatever reason they didn’t live with the parent they know little about. Even though her father worked a lot, she lived with her dad and saw him periodically. However, she knew very little about him, and his life. The reason behind this is that her father was not able to speak English well and also he wasn’t the kind we would consider to be social. He was Chinese and she was American. He worked and associated with Chinese; she knew nothing about his life and was exposed very little to her Chinese heritage. Her father was like a roommate, an outsider living under the same roof.
Those who have never met their fathers, or whose father wasn’t a big part of their life aren’t that different from Sigrid Nunez, who in all reality, too, has never met her father.
Her family was a bit eccentric, but the saying: “apples don’t fall far from the tree” is not proven wrong about her own life. Unless you have the opportunity of meeting Sigrid Nunez after reading the book, you will think that she is just another author, who elaborated her life story to make the book a better seller. However, she did nothing of that sort. She has this unique vibe, this exceptional effect on people whom she meets. Some might describe it as a particular sort of humor. When someone asked, “Did she and her friends really do acid, while driving?” not only did she admitt to the fact, but she also talked openly about it. And the way she spoke about it, with such nonchalance, says something about her character. She is very confident, and because she didn’t become a drug addict, she claims that: “Drugs are normal part of teenager’s life.”
Given her family background and her own unique individuality, only after meeting her in person, will you understand how she was able to write “The Feather on the Breath of God” and appreciate the book. In contrast to some other books, like “Who She Was” by Samuel Freedman, her writing might not seem as well polished, and her book is at times not as coherent, taking bits and parts of her life and arbitrarily putting them together on one page. However, her novel isn’t any less intriguing. One thing you will not come across in either her book or if you were to meet her in person, is a bit of insecurity.