The Lazarus Project

So far, I have enjoyed The Lazarus Project. The novel involves mystery and suspense. It also allows you to see the situation through Lazarus’ sister’s eyes, feeling her own desperation and confusion. Specifically, I’ve found the themes in The Lazarus Project thus far interesting. One that has stuck out to me is uncertainty. All of the protagonists so far have experienced uncertainty to some degree. Lazarus’ sister, Olga, is confused as to what has happened to Lazarus. She is also both confused and almost afraid as to how the public is treating her after Lazarus’ death. Vladimir Brik and Rora find themselves in their own mystery. They may not face the same struggles or controversy that Olga faces, but they do question what happened to Lazarus, as Olga has. Unlike Olga, Vladimir and Rora’s quest for the truth not only takes them into Lazarus and Olga’s pasts, but their own too. Referring back to the beginning of the book, the quote “The time and place are the only things I am certain of,” serves to reinforce this theme. A motif in the book so far has been photographs. Rora’s photos have reoccurred in the novel. Interestingly, the photographs have had contrasting elements. For example, some of her photographs capture the violence of the setting they are in, whereas the photographs she takes of hotels and coffee portray a more relaxing, satisfying mood. One of my favorite quotes in the book so far states, “When I look at my old pictures, all I can see is what I used to be but am no longer. I think: What I can see is what I am not.” This quote both reinforces the motif of photographs as well as refers back to Vladimir discovering truths about his own past as he searches Lazarus’. Lastly, the book, to me, has effectively portrayed Olga’s sadness in her situation. For example, the quote, “Your nightmares follow you like a shadow, forever,” may suggest that Olga will never fully recover from her brother’s death. A second quote that reveals the overall sadness of the setting in which Olga lives states, “My country’s main exports are stolen cars and sadness.” VOCABULARY: 1. Protagonist: the leading character, hero, or heroine of a drama or other literary work (dictionary.com) 2. Suspense: a state or condition of mental uncertainty or excitement, as in awaiting a decision or outcome, usually accompanied by a degree of apprehension or anxiety (dictionary.com) 3. Motif: a recurring subject, theme, idea, etc., especially in a literary, artistic, or musical work (dictionary.com)