THE LAW OF THE SELF

Metzger’s historical novel follows a young Polish-born soldier through World War II.

At the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, Polish soldier and migrant Stefan Nosek reflects upon the losses he has endured in the war, following the Battle of Normandy in 1944. The novel subsequently braids together two plots that integrate his enlistment prior to the Battle of Normandy and his life as a young man working for the Polish embassy as he falls in love and aims to balance nationalism and pride before, during, and following the Katyn Massacre. When tragedy strikes, Stefan enlists, and the novel follows his platoon through the heart-wrenching battles leading up to the Battle of Normandy. The author grounds his perspective on World War II’s atrocities with deep philosophical underpinnings, leading readers to reflect upon the viewpoints of the time as well as ideas related to free will versus determinism, pride, and loyalty to one’s country, one’s family, and one’s self. The story’s Polish point of view is intriguing and the story unusual. However, the book is often weighed down with ideology—while the ideas have merit and interest, there are moments when the story is lost to dense, exposition-heavy proclamations such as “Russia invades us while we’re fighting the Nazis, takes a third of our territory, deports a million and a half of our citizens into Russia itself, arrests ten thousand Polish army officers and hides them away in secret work camps…Yet every day I have to read about what wonderful people the Russians are.” Because there are two unique story lines, the two conclusions feel tenuous. Although this is a dark and tragic contribution to historical literature, it does educate and encourages readers to reflect upon war’s impact upon the world and the psyche. While more story and less ideology would enrich the novel, the focus on the Polish WWII experience makes this an important contribution to historical fiction.

A heart-wrenching illumination of the Polish perspective on World War II.