Olympia by Dennis Bock

Olympia

Dennis Bock

I found this book quite sad and rather depressing. Peter tells of different episodes, some tragic, from his life as the son of German immigrants in Canada after World War Two. He has been clearly shaped by his parents' view of the world. I found myself having to read between the lines a great deal, especially where the flashbacks were concerned!

Extract
Ruby's wearing a pink knee-length dress with a white sash wrapped around the waist. The new dress is carefully rolled up to her hips so she can feel the breeze on her legs better. Her shoes sit beside her feet, shiny and white and stiff. She hasn't said anything, but from where I'm sitting I can see the brown dot on both of her white Achilles tendons where the new shoes have broken the skin. She doesn't want to bug our mother. We both know the tension in the air. For now, better just to sit.