A Modern European Folktale or Greek Tragedy?

“Yet it turned out what mattered most in that first encounter wasn’t seeing her but being seen by her, a person who didn’t know me.” This quote from the main character, Vera’s, inner monologue perfectly captures the nature of the setting, story, and personhood of Elsewhere by Alexis Schaitkin. This novel’s setting is comparable to one of those isolated islands seen in Ancient Greek stories, where there is always an air of mystery that is a part of everyone’s daily life. For Vera and her people, who have long since forgotten their ancestral roots, this takes place in a forgotten town up in the mountains, where there are no seasons, and clouds overtake the streets and homes every night. Everyone knows every person, and when a stranger appears, she is the whole town’s gossip as they look at an outsider, one who does not know the tragedy that besets the mothers of this town.
The novel’s writing is fantastic. Each word and sentence structure is chosen with incredible diligence; each sentence and its word choice further develops the setting and personhood of the town and its people. The often used “we,” while the story is from Vera’s perspective, is one of many ways Schaitkin portrays the town in a singular identity, especially when speculating about “Elsewhere,” outside of the town. This novel is definitely one worth reading, especially if you enjoy a mysterious, yet grounded, world-building experience. Or if you just want to appreciate the women in your life!