The Expert of Subtle Revisions… coming soon!

Language, too, is never neutral

The language we use to describe history is a choice. In THE EXPERT OF SUBTLE REVISIONS, the changes Hase makes when she edits Wikipedia—replacing “killed” with “murdered”, “riot” with “protest”, “she was beaten” with “he beat her”—are examples of how seemingly small changes can shift the meaning of a sentence, and subsequently a reader’s understanding. 

In 1927 Vienna, two of the novel’s characters, Josef and Sophia, each describe a historical moment where their paths cross: Josef sees the people gathered around him at the Palace of Justice as a riot. Sophia, who stands on a bench and calls for justice, sees the gathering as a protest. What happened that day? Without knowing more context—much more than can fit in this post—it’s impossible to say. 

But whether we’re reflecting on the rise of fascism in Austria in the 1930s, or the political events of today, it’s worth remembering that a brief text, such as this one, provides, at best, only a  piece of a story, and that language isn’t neutral, it reflects a point of view.

THE EXPERT OF SUBTLE REVISIONS will be out on March 18th from Crown and is available now for preorder.