Austrian novelist Robert Seethaler is renowned for his minimalist and emotionally resonant novels that delve into the everyday lives of underrepresented individuals.
His debut novel, A Whole Life, focuses on a man largely confined to his mountain abode. The Tobacconist is a coming-of-age tale set against the backdrop of rising fascism in Vienna. The Field brings to life a narrative woven by the voices of the deceased inhabiting a village.
The Café With No Name and Its Setting
Similarly to The Field, The Café With No Name uses a focused lens to illuminate the broader dynamics of a community. The protagonist, Simon Robert, is a transient worker who assists market stallholders in Vienna’s Karmelitermarkt.
In the late summer of 1966, Simon takes on the lease of a dilapidated corner café with the aspiration of bestowing meaning on his life by owning and operating a bar.
Characters and Atmosphere
The characters that populate Simon’s café are diverse and nuanced, mirroring the societal struggles in post-World War II Vienna.
Mila joins the staff as a barmaid. Mischa, an artist who brawls with his lover Heide, embodies unfulfilled passions. Harald Blaha, a gasworks employee, rolls his prosthetic eye across the bar. Mad Jascha, fondly holding a dead pigeon, and Simon’s brief romance with her, add another layer to this mosaic of lives.
Seethaler’s Artistic Style
Like in previous works, Seethaler’s narrative is contemplative and infused with tenderness. While drama unfolds—unrequited love, loss, accidents— his prose remains intentionally suggestive and elliptical, tying narrative threads loosely and reconnecting them further on.
Alternative Narrative Techniques
Seethaler periodically employs a crowd-speak technique, recording the unattributed chatter of the café patrons, their voices mingling and interlapping without punctuation earmarks, offering a sharp contrast to the otherwise unadorned narration.
Themes and Intention
Although specific characters develop and minor changes signal a gradual shift in the city, the period is not firmly anchored in the 1960s. This may cliché the novel’s aim of highlighting universal themes over era-specific documentation.
Some readers may appreciate Seethaler’s formlessness, finding it quietly affecting, whereas others might desire more substantive storytelling.
Challenges in Seethaler’s Narrative
The narrative viewpoint can be diffused at times, lacking clarity where it should pinpoint details and overstating where it might unpack further.
Seethaler’s earthy philosophical pronouncements often resonate, like “hope is the sister of stupidity.” However, aphorisms such as “we don’t know anything until afterwards” and “perhaps you always remained the greatest mystery to yourself” can become repetitive.
Final Thoughts on the Novel
While these critiques are valid, they do not overshadow the novel’s overall appeal. Seethaler’s muted and sentimental storytelling provides a refreshing alternative to overtly didactic literature.
Fans of unsentimental narratives, connoisseurs of Seethaler’s style, or readers drawn to portraits of ordinary lives in times of transition will find The Café With No Name to be an engaging, empathetic read.
Indeed, Seethaler’s work remains a beacon of creative integrity, advocating for the small, the random, and the trivialities that make up life.
The Café With No Name by Robert Seethaler, translated by Katy Derbyshire, published by Canongate (£16.99). To support the Guardian and the Observer, purchase a copy at guardianbookshop.com. Delivery charges may apply.
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