Held by Anne Michaels

There are books that you read, and then there are books that read you. Anne Michaels’ latest novel, “Held,” falls firmly into the latter category. It’s a work of such lyrical beauty and emotional depth that it leaves you feeling not just moved, but seen—as if Michaels has somehow peered into the deepest recesses of your soul and written what she found there.

Recently longlisted for the 2024 Booker Prize (and rightly so, if you ask me), “Held” is a masterclass in how to write about the big stuff—love, loss, memory, desire—without ever feeling heavy-handed or pretentious. Michaels has a way of capturing the most ephemeral of human experiences with prose so precise it takes your breath away.

The Tapestry of Time: A Plot That Defies Easy Summary

How to describe the plot of Held by Anne Michaels? It’s… complicated. But in the best possible way, I promise.

We begin in 1917, with John, a soldier lying wounded on a World War I battlefield. As he drifts in and out of consciousness, we’re plunged into a series of memories—a chance encounter in a pub, intimate moments with his lover Helena, childhood recollections of the North Yorkshire coast. It’s disorienting at first, this constant shifting of time and place, but soon you find yourself swept along by the rhythm of it.

From there, the novel expands outward like ripples in a pond, touching on four generations of interconnected lives. We follow John and Helena as they rebuild their life together after the war, their struggles and small joys rendered with exquisite tenderness. But Michaels doesn’t stop there. She takes us forward in time to their daughter Mara, and then to Mara’s son Aimo, each story building on the last, echoing and refracting themes of love, loss, and the search for meaning.

And woven throughout are these beautiful, almost dreamlike interludes—meditations on everything from early photography to the knitting patterns of North Sea fishermen’s sweaters. It shouldn’t work, this constant jumping between times and perspectives, but somehow Michaels pulls it off with grace.

Language as a Living Thing: Michaels’ Prose Sings

Look, I’m going to level with you—Anne Michaels’ writing style isn’t for everyone. If you’re looking for straightforward, plot-driven prose, you might find yourself frustrated. But if you’re willing to surrender to the poetry of her language, oh boy, are you in for a treat.

Michaels has this uncanny ability to capture sensory experiences in a way that makes them feel viscerally real. Take this description of John and Helena’s first night together:

“The scent of summer fields through the open window. Nothing visible of her except Sofia’s thick gleam of chestnut hair, her brown eyes, her defined jaw, her long fingers and short fingernails; on one finger, a drop of amber set in a band as thin as thread.”

Can’t you just feel the warmth of that summer night? Smell the grass? It’s like Michaels is painting with words, creating these incredibly vivid tableaux that linger in your mind long after you’ve turned the page.

And then there are passages that just knock you sideways with their insight:

“We think of history as moments of upheaval when forces converge, the sudden upthrust of the ground we’re standing on, catastrophe. But sometimes history is simply detritus: midden mounds, ghost nets, panoramic beaches of plastic sand.”

I mean, come on. That’s the kind of sentence you want to roll around in your mouth like a fine wine, savoring every nuance.

Themes That Resonate: Love, Memory, and the Nature of Time

At its heart, Held by Anne Michaels is a book about the ways we are bound to each other across time and space. Michaels explores how a single moment of connection can ripple outward, shaping lives decades later in ways we can’t possibly foresee.

There’s a deep fascination with the nature of memory throughout the novel. Michaels delves into how our recollections shape our sense of self, and how the act of remembering can be both a comfort and a torment. John’s struggle with PTSD is portrayed with heartbreaking clarity, while Helena’s artistic process becomes a way of preserving fleeting moments.

And then there’s desire—not just sexual desire (though there’s plenty of that, rendered with surprising frankness), but the deeper longings that drive us. The desire to be understood, to create, to find meaning in a world that often seems chaotic and cruel.

Time itself becomes almost a character in the novel. Michaels plays with our perception of it, stretching and compressing it in ways that feel both disorienting and oddly familiar. It’s like she’s tapping into something fundamental about how we experience the passage of time, especially in moments of great emotion.

A Worthy Addition to Michaels’ Canon

For fans of Anne Michaels’ previous work (and I count myself among them), “Held” will feel both familiar and fresh. It shares DNA with her earlier novels like “Fugitive Pieces” and “The Winter Vault”—that same poetic sensibility, the interweaving of historical events with intimate personal stories. But there’s a maturity here, a depth of insight that comes from a lifetime of grappling with big ideas.

If you’re new to Anne Michaels’ work, “Held” is as good a place to start as any. Just be prepared to have your heart cracked open and your mind expanded. This isn’t a book you read so much as inhabit.

Not Without Its Challenges: A Few Caveats

I’ll be honest – “Held” isn’t always an easy read. The non-linear structure can be disorienting at times, and Anne Michaels’ dense, poetic prose demands your full attention. There were moments when I found myself re-reading passages, trying to untangle their meaning.

And fair warning – this is not a book for those who like their narratives tidy and resolved. Michaels leaves a lot open to interpretation, inviting the reader to draw their own conclusions. If you’re the type who needs everything spelled out, you might find yourself frustrated.

But for me, that ambiguity is part of the book’s charm. It feels true to life in a way that neater, more traditional narratives often don’t. We don’t always get clear answers or tidy resolutions in real life, do we?

A Book That Lingers: Final Thoughts

It’s been weeks since I finished “Held,” and I’m still turning it over in my mind. Certain images, certain turns of phrase, keep bubbling up when I least expect them. That’s the mark of a truly great book, I think—one that takes up residence in your psyche and refuses to leave.

If you’re in the mood for a read that will challenge you, move you, and maybe even change the way you see the world a little bit, pick up “Held.” Just make sure you’ve got a quiet corner and a cup of tea (or something stronger) at hand. This is a book that deserves—no, demands—to be savored.

And who knows? Maybe, like John in those opening pages, you’ll find yourself drifting through your own memories, seeing them in a new light. Because that’s the real magic of “Held”—it doesn’t just tell a story, it opens up a space for you to reflect on your own.

In a world that often feels fragmented and chaotic, Michaels offers us a vision of interconnectedness, of the ways love and memory can transcend time. It’s a powerful antidote to cynicism, a reminder of the profound beauty that exists in even the most ordinary moments of human connection.

So go on, let yourself be held by this remarkable book. I promise, you won’t regret it.