The Hundred-Year Flood by Matthew Salesses

Matthew Salesses is one of my favorite authors. I have read his past works like I’m Not Saying, I’m Just Saying, Different Racisms and his essays. I read The Hundred Year Flood when I was on a holiday. I just loved the poetry of Matthew’s prose. His writing is beautiful.

The story is set after the attack on the World Trade Center. The main protagonist of The Hundred Year Floodis Tee, who was born in Korea but was adopted by American couple. Tee’s story starts with his uncle committing suicide and he flees to Prague, not sure about what would be his fate. There he meets three larger than life characters: Pavel, a famous painter; Katka, his enticing wife & Rockefeller, Pavel’s friend.

As the city is hit by a flood that comes every 100 years, Tee decides to remain in the city and take his chances. He is now in the middle of a flood in a strange land that is full of myths, ghosts and heroes.

This is an engrossing novel with cunning, vivid and compelling story of inheritance and forgiveness. The book leaves an impact on the minds of the readers.

John Lin