Вот прочла я это. Думаю, что рецензент права совершенно. Кому понравился Барикко, может попробовать, но "Замки ярости" ака "Стеклянная страна" = это совершенно продуманный роман, который создает ощущение музыкальной импровизации, сам по себе он сложнее, включая язык.
"Castelli di Rabbia / Land of Glass" (Piper, Paperback (German), 1st edition, 1999, read: October 02)
"In the small town of Quinnipak somewhere in Europe sometime in the 19th century lives Mr. Rail, director of the glass factory. He travels around the world a lot and before each return home he sends a small package with a jewel to his beautiful wife Jun. He dreams of an infinite and absolutely straight railroad. In Quinnipak also lives Pekisch, inventor and composer, who carries all notes within him. One day the genius architect Horace comes along to build a glass palace of never before seen dimensions with the help of Mr. Rail." [Translation]
A town like a fairy tale where only bizarre people live, described by a true poet. You have to let yourself in for "Land of Glass" because it's style isn't easy. But once you've found access to it be prepared for a true literary treat.
Baricco's style makes one think of a dream in which parts don't seem to fit together, passages are repeated without sense, pauses come up and the impossible gets possible. As one can see in the end the comparison with a dream isn't that far fetched.
Regarding the story itself there isn't much more to tell than is already written in the cover text (see above citation). The main protagonists are characterized by an extreme excentricity. They mostly live to fulfill their dreams. Sadly this doesn't always work out and therefore there's a lot of sadness in the story. The best part is that you won't see all the connections while reading the story. But in the last chapter you'll be told something about the background and the town of Quinnipak and absolutely everything makes sense after hearing it. And after being startled that way you could start the novel all over again right away.
I think one can say for sure that this is a novel which can't be made into a movie that easily. And therefore it's a comforting feeling that Quinnipak and it's inhabitants will stay a product of your own imagination for a while. Nobody can come along and destroy the mental picture you've made. Because "Land of Glass" is a dream.
[Dorothée Büttgen, December 02]