The Blue Sky   by Galsan Tschinag

Aug, 2007.     Selected with Pamela, after review in paper.

We read about this book in a Canadian Newspaper, and thought it sounded right for us; While apart from each other we like to read the same book, and perhaps consider some of the same thoughts. (We're just hopelessly romantic. That's all there is to it.) So once Pamela returned to Germany after our holiday, with me remaining for three more weeks, we started reading. Slowly, and with leisure though. It is a short book, and we wanted to extend the experience as long as possible.

This is a coming-of-age book. The protagonist develops from a completely dependent child to a... child still. But a child who feels betrayed by his parents, his background, and the world around him. It's a loss of innocence, (every coming of age is a loss of innocence.) I've got notes somewhere recording the thoughts I had while reading, but I think they're now packed in the luggage, (and I'm on my laptop, waiting at the airport terminal.) That means this will not be in a structured order, (not that my reviews often are!)

The death of the grandmother. That's somewhere to start. I respected her. Not just through the whole book because of her cleverness, fairness, and goodness. I respected her because she died with dignity. She knew she was old and ill. She felt that she could die that very night. So what did she do? Nothing more than quietly accept it. She remained true to herself, and full of her life and stories up until the last day. Then she passed away in the middle of the night. It didn't upset me, as it would some others; She had lived well, had found joy and fulfilment in her life, (at least in her later life,) and was ready to have her long journey come to an end. Also, she had a wonderful way of communicating with the very young protagonist; knowing her time was coming, she explained that she would have to go away, (very interesting "gathering salt" euphemism is used in the tribe.) But she described how she would come back, in many years, when the protagonist is much older, with his own yurt. And then she will be young, and full of life again. I thought this was just beautiful; our ancestors die, but they will come back into our lives again, as our children. They will only be lost to us for some time, then return to us, and start life anew.

It was not specified whether the tribe believes in reincarnation, or if they were using rougher, looser terms; meaning that all their traits, and their personality quirks would show up in further descendants. But to me this makes no difference; I find it consoling either way, so long as the ancestors always return.

The dog's death is much harder to see in a positive light. The dog was very close to the protagonist, and was good and kind in every way; always a comfort, always a companion, and full of a dog's absolute devotion. Then he dies for little or no reason. With the dog dies the child's innocence, trust, belief in goodness and in his culture. Could the dog be a symbol of the child's spirit? Full of energy, life, and the absolute certainty of what is Right. It could be. The child's beliefs are on just such a precarious precipice as the dog. The child himself links his belief in his tradition to the life of his dog. But what can then be made of the poison? Which is put down by his own father? To that I find no answer.

One thing I marked when his brother and sister come back from school is the child's confused tears. He feels glad that they have returned yet can not stop crying, for no reason he can understand. My guess is that it is not from missing them, but rather due to the tension over the two of them in the village; Many people had been saying negative things about the two children because they went off to school. They also were overly critical of the parents for sending them. So I think that the child is crying because he doesn't know if he should love his siblings, or hate them, or be ashamed of them.

I enjoyed very much seeing the views of the little tribes people on Money and on School. One youth who had been to school said "It's Easy! All you have to do is convince them you're too stupid, and they let you out of it by the time you're twelve!" And honestly, for a herder in the Urals, doesn't that make sense? Why spend years learning history, geography, ethics, maths, and so on, when the sheep you will make your life with are out grazing the hills and you're missing the experience with them which actually Would be helpful to your future. The Money thing was less to think about but more amusing. These are a people who work entirely with barter. So when the government comes and takes things and leaves some money for it, they have to do a lot of explaining that this money can be used for anything. It can get them anything. These little pieces of brightly coloured paper are then such a wonder to them; How could something so small count for so much? There's a certain amount of mistrust put into the money, and a good deal of awe. The little child's thoughts about the money are then just priceless. (The pun was unintentional.)

There was some lovely passages with the grandmother where the symbolism was just...exquisite. Her old niece, a cruel, greedy and heartless woman, had often accused our Granny of being a burden, of being greedy, and of being troublesome in every way. The Granny decides to leave that tribe completely and join our protagonists, -but the question comes up: can she ask for her flock? She fears that it will just prove her rotten niece to be correct. Then a friend of her says "Other's black words will not be reflected from your white head." -Which I found just lovely because her hair is white, her head is shaved, (and reflective,) and her every deed is good and true.

One other time when they were speaking figuratively I couldn't, even after long thought on it, figure out what they meant. It seems like a lovely saying: "Silk is expensive, and you should wear it if you can. But what if you want a rag to rub a saddle with? How good is the silk then?" -But I can only get a vague feeling what is precisely meant by that, and then it doesn't seem to fit into the discussion that they're having at all. (I think it was about how the Granny's niece had been unfair. The protagonist's father said his wife spoke too impulsively, and should think more before she speaks. The wife says that he's just being defensive, and that the truth is unwelcome to some. Then the Granny talks about Silk. Hm.)

The one other place which was absolutely precious was the Granny's final splitting with her old tribe. She sent a reply to the question "when are you coming back from those strangers?" stating that the niece would do well to remember that all of the mountain tribes are related, and that though they have a much, MUCH more recent ancestor than that, (I'm not sure; They could have actually been sisters,) The granny now releases the niece (or younger sister) from all family duties to her, as she seemingly never cared for this Granny anyhow.

The important thing to remember is that this was not in a little letter which the niece alone will read. These people couldn't read or write, even if they had paper to do it on. This was a verbal message which was to be given to travellers and spread by word of mouth until it reached the other tribe. So this... criticism of the other's kindness, and her uselessness as a family member would be known throughout the tribe the Granny came from, and the one she went to, and to anyone who should be met in between the two.

I can't think of anything more to say. It was an interesting book to read, though short, and with a depressing ending. Most of my interest was... the looking into a foreign culture. But there was also pleasure to be had seeing the young boy grow, progress and mature in his thoughts.