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It’s a stretch. While Giraffe appears to concentrate on one particular and peculiar chain of events, in point of fact Ledgard’s account of the demise of the largest herd of giraffes ever to be held in captivity offers a microcosmic portrayal of the false promises and inhuman betrayals of communism, in this case in its Czechoslovakian guise. Ledgard splits his narration between Emil, a haemodynamicist; Amina, a sleepwalking factory worker; and Snehurka, one of the unfortunate beasts. The giraffes were slaughtered in 1975, but while this beautifully written novel moves gracefully towards its sorrowful conclusion, the underlying message edges ever closer towards a parable uncomfortably fusing free market capitalism and Christianity. That communist regimes fell so quickly once the Soviet Union dissolved, owing to the system’s internal inconsistencies, seems indisputable. But the killing of a herd of camelopards being analogous to Christ’s crucifixion? Surely he’s having a giraffe. Giraffe by JM Ledgard, out now published by Jonathan Cape.
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comment by Smythson
Apr 7, 2006
Whilst I agree with the reviewer's description of Giraffe as a 'beautifully written novel' that 'moves gracefully towards its sorrowful conclusion,' I would respectfully disagree with his final point, that J.M. Ledgard aimed for a parable in the killing of the giraffes 'analogous to Christ's crucifixion.' I'm not sure what the basis for this is. The only mention of the Crucifixion I found concerned physiology (the blood flowing from bullet wounds in the giraffes was at such high pressure as to resemble blood flowing from the side of Christ in Gothic paintings). There is no Messiah, no resurrection for the giraffes (on the contrary, they are ground into nothingness), and no disciples - even for the free market. Instead, there is a gorgeously rendered meditation on the otherness that surrounds us, which for the most part we are blind to. Some reviews have found Giraffe reminiscent of W.G. Sebald. That is an enormous compliment, and a specific one: the Sebaldian moment is not for everyone. I should not like to rate a book as mysterious as Giraffe like a digital camera, according to fractions of stars. I just hope it becomes a modern classic.
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