Waiting for Columbus

Waiting for Columbus Cover

Thomas Trofimuk

He appears out of the sea, washed up naked, in the treacherous Straits of Gibraltar. Seemingly delirious, and claiming to be Christopher Columbus, he is taken to an insane asylum in Seville, where astonishingly he starts to reveal the true story of how he set sail on behalf of the Spanish queen five hundred years ago. Consuela, a nurse at the Institute, is charged with helping him back to reality. She listens to his fantastic tales in the hope of discovering the truth. But as his story unfolds, she finds herself falling for her patient - no longer able to tell where truth ends and fantasy begins. Meanwhile, across the continent, Emile Germain is involved in a different search. He's an Interpol officer on the hunt for a missing person, presumed dangerous. He's a determined man, and when his investigation leads to Spain these two stories collide. Part romance, part mysterious thriller, this is a rich and emotional novel about love, loss, and the fragile beauty of our own life stories.

2 Reviews 11 Comments

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Richard

Reading Thomas Trofimuk’s psychological mystery is a little like experiencing a waking dream. Everything appears real and solid enough, but somewhere at the back of your mind you know you are in the grip of a strange fantasy over which you have no control .

Waiting for Columbus is an enchanting, surreal story about a man in modern day Spain who appears seemingly out of nowhere: he claims he is Christopher Columbus. That’s right, the explorer who died 500 years ago, after proving conclusively that the Earth was round.

Unsurprisingly, ‘Columbus’ is committed to an insane asylum, where he continues to insist his story is true. He confides astonishingly detailed accounts of Columbus’s life to Nurse Consuela, who is assigned to his case. She learns of the women he loved; the years of plucking and pleading for backers to give him ships to sail west towards unknown horizons; his fear of the Spanish Inquisition. Some of the stories are so convincing that Consuela, who slowly falls in love with this charming, intelligent, captivating young man, finds herself wondering if he is somehow, incredibly, speaking the truth.

Meanwhile an Interpol officer based in France is searching urgently for ‘Columbus’. A dreadful crime has been committed and a man is missing from the scene.

I absolutely loved this quirky, elegantly-written, utterly original story, with its deeply moving and tender conclusion.

Judy

This is a story about lost love, the strangest of mental breakdowns, and redemption. One of the pleasures of reading Waiting for Columbus is the sheer attractiveness of its three principal characters: the man claiming to be the long-dead explorer, the beautiful nurse who falls helplessly for his charismatic appeal, and the dogged Interpol man whose motives for searching for a missing person only become hauntingly clear at the end of the book.

The writing is indeed dreamlike at times, especially when Columbus’s ‘memories’ of the past gradually become laced with details from the present day. There are wonderful scenes where he recalls exact conversations with Queen Isabella of Spain, who he is desperately trying to woo to fit him out with men and ships, and it becomes clear they are talking on the phone. Witty, surreal, and as Nurse Consuela discovers, extraordinarily believable.

Writing love scenes is notoriously tricky but Trofimuk handles the many explicit passages with great skill. Columbus emerges as a man deeply in love with womankind, possessed of an almost epicurean yet innocent delight in the physical charms of the opposite sex.

This is one of the most unusual and absorbing stories I can remember reading, with a great tragedy and a great gentleness at its heart.

Richard and Judy talk to Thomas Trofinuk

Reviews

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  • This is a beautifly written book.

    This is a beautifly written book and a good story to boot. There are passages in it that will make you stop reading to admire the beauty of how the words are put together. Buy it.

    By Aloysius Harding - 03.09.2010

  • Waiting for Columbus

    When I started reading this book I found it very hard to get into. The story jumps all over the place, with little explanation from the author of where the story is going. I persevered and I can tell it’s definitely worth it. The description of the characters is deep and the bond forming between Columbus and his nurse is written with real meaning. You can really feel how the relationship between them develops. Without going into too much detail (I don’t want to ruin the story for you) the revelation at the end (which I did not see coming) is both moving, gives you a real satisfaction that what you have just read makes sense and insight into how individuals deal with life’s tragedies. As with another review I had a tear in my eye at the end of this and at times it can prove a difficult read – it is well worth the effort. Thanks for reading - Matt

    By Matt - 11.10.2010

Comments

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  • I'm a little way in and although I am enjoying it. I have no idea where it is going at all - hope that it doesn't get too weird!

    carlos

  • I found the first half of this book was very hard going and was tempted to give up. I felt I had to force myself to finish each chapter. The ending is worthwhile and quite emotional soI am glad I continued, however some of the more graphic content I thought was unnecessary to the stroyline.

    Ruth

  • I really enjoyed this book - couldn't put it down.

    Catherine

  • LOVED this one. Grabbed me from the start and threw me for a loop at the end. I was a blubbering mess. Brilliant!!!

    Sidney

  • I also found it a little hard to keep reading and, for me, the ending wasn't worth it. There were passages where I wondered why they were included at all, and I felt like the storyline of the Interpol investigator wasn't fully developed. But I still enjoyed the story and Columbus' character, it was definetely an amusing read.

    Ksenia

  • This was truly one of the most wonderful books I've ever read. I cried at the end because of the sheer poignancy of this amazing thing called being a human. I'm telling everyone to read it!

    Laureen Smith

  • I enjoyed the read. The ending through me for a loop too!

    Tiziana

  • "Waiting for Columbus" was long-listed for the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award on November 15. Richard and Judy REALLY know how to pick 'em!!!!

    Sidney

  • Sorry, I have given it a good go, but I just cannot get into it, so I have given up.Reading should be a pleasure, not a chore, which is what this book is! I will wait for the film!!!!

    nancy lee

  • Story was ok but a bit slow, have been disappointed in Richard and Judys pics as this was the second this year that was a bit slow and nothing special. Ending of the story was good but rest was a bit slow.

    KMacG

  • I raced through this book, couldn't wait to unravel the mystery. I loved Trofimuk's writing with it's little clues and surprising anachronism (Columbus answering the phone) as memories reappear to the amnesiac.

    Great interview, by the way.

    Junebug

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