July Review: 'The Tobacconist'

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Book: The Tobacconist, Robert Seethaler

Publication date: 2012

WCRG meeting: 5 July 2017

Rating: 6.4

Thank you to all who either attended in person, or submitted their reviews in advance of our last meeting on 5 July where we discussed The Tobacconist, by Robert Seethaler. The views of the Wolfson Contemporary Reading Group on this slim novel were very mixed and curiously split between the age ranges, with our younger readers feeling a greater affinity for Franz than some of our older readers.

Franz, a young 17-year-old arriving in Vienna from a rural community, is initially upset by his mother’s decision to send him to be an apprentice to the elderly tobacconist (Uncle (sic!)) Otto Trsnyek, a man his mother says owes her a favour (“It was a hot summer that year, and we were young and foolish…”) 

However, he quickly settles to a life of reading the daily papers and greeting customers - the most famous being Professor Sigmund Freud. Several in the group felt the historical use of a real character has been manipulated to fit the novel.

Franz has fallen madly in love with Anezka, but finds that her erratic behaviour leaves him confused regarding his relationship with this bohemian young woman; he pursues Freud to ask for advice on his love life and generally on women!

Seethaler’s description of the tobacconist shop was felt to be well-drawn and several members reminisced with personal experiences of tobacconist’s of their youth. The group also commented that his use of descriptive language was incredibly beautiful especially in his descriptions of the natural world. Franz and his mother write regularly, starting with postcards and brief updates, these were humorous and the group identified with the changing relationship of son and mother. The change of relationship cleverly signified as they begin to exchange letters feeling that there was more to discuss than could be fitted on to a postcard size.

The book was an easy read with the story developing quickly, some felt it tried to too hard and as a historical story did not represent the suffering of the people under the Nazi regime as it should have done, although this is all conveyed through the eyes of a 17-year-old youth who is more concerned with his emerging sexual feelings.

Parallels were drawn between Franz’s mother and Anezka, both women finding pragmatic ways of surviving, in a world ruled by men. Franz’s naivety leads him to misread most of the events/relationships he experiences and his actions could be considered extreme/foolish.

The final score was a reputable 6.4 which signifies the extreme range of marks given.