INFORMACJA ZWROTNA (FEEDBACK)

- my father gave me a book with this title as a gift for Children's Day.

I hadn't heard anything about it before, and I didn't know much about the author himself, Jakub Żulczyk, so I had no expectations or suspicions about the plot.

The better.

After reading it, I conclude that it is a piece of a heavy, well-led, realistic story, which is definitely worth immersing in, despite the fact that at many moments it depresses, hurts and pisses you off.

A few words about the plot

(no spoilers)

The main character of the book is Marcin Kania - over 50 years old, former bass player and music producer.

We meet him as his son disappears under mysterious circumstances.

The father travels through Warsaw and its surroundings in search of the truth, which has its connections to the famous re-privatization scandal.

But there is one more thing that complicates the matter and the rational judgment of reality - Marcin Kania is an alcoholic.

Poetic bluntness

Jakub Żulczyk very skillfully combines two distant poles of language and ways of expression.

On the one hand, colorful, delicate descriptions and comparisons as if from literary fiction, and on the other, strong, uncompromising, upright statements.

This demonstrates his writing versatility, which to me, as an open-minded reader, is very satisfying and keeps me from getting bored.

"Vodka is a beautiful silver string that runs through all of reality, tightens it, straightens it (...)".

The main character of the book, apart from Marcin Kania, is definitely alcohol - you can see it, and almost hear and feel it too.

Before I even read anything about the author, a thought formed in my head:

"No way, something like that could only be written by someone who has struggled or is struggling with addiction".

His difficult life experiences, sensitivity and ability to put them on paper resulted in an amazingly realistic portrayal of a man whose desire to drink is intertwined with almost every action he performs.

On the one hand, alcohol seemingly improves the quality of the moment and relaxes you, while in the long run it completely destroys family relationships, friendships, career ...

And that kind of destructive action is shown very clearly here in the context of the search for the missing son.

The plot is interwoven with vague memories of Marcin Kania, which suddenly become a signpost leading him to the answer to the question of what actually happened.

But is it for sure?

A burden that brings relief

In "Feedback", Jakub Żulczyk raises yet another important issue, namely the Warsaw

re-privatization scandal, which made headlines in the media in 2016.

I remember myself following the hearings conducted by the Verification Commission.

As I read, I again felt disgusted by human greed, ruthlessness and lack of moral backbone.

At times you get the impression that there is no good - there is only a dirty, depressing world dominated by cunning and skillful sliding from one shady acquaintance to another.

This is why this book is tiring.

Nevertheless, I have the feeling that this is productive fatigue.

Fatigue, bringing awareness and hope.

The portrait of a man dominated by addiction, trying his best to keep his common sense, is perfectly approximate.

The reader gets a ticket into his mind, so that in real life he may be able to understand the mechanisms of the addict a little more.

The author does not forget about those who stand on the other side, i.e. family and relatives.

The thought that comes to mind is how much can be endured and that for everyone that limit lies elsewhere.

To sum up - I recommend it, because apart from an interesting, well-written plot there is an accurate psychological analysis.

"Did it have to end this way? Apparently it had to, since that is how it ends."

J.

Bibliography:

1. Żulczyk, Jakub: Informacja zwrotna. Wyd. Świat Książki, Warszawa 2021.

2. https://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afera_reprywatyzacyjna_w_Warszawie