Waiting for Columbus by Thomas Trofimuk

Every so often there comes along a novel that totally captivates me. Waiting for Columbus by Thomas Trofimuk is one of those novels.

As the story begins, a man believing himself to be Christopher Columbus is brought to an asylum in modern-day Spain after being found in the Strait of Gibraltar. His delusions are not so unusual. After all.... the asylum houses a few other well-known people from the past as well as the first female Pope! It's where the story goes from there that is so captivating. Over the next few months Columbus shares tales from his life in the 15th century with Nurse Consuela, who can't help but be drawn into the romance and adventure of his stories. Like Consuela, I found myself totally charmed by Columbus. His storytelling is so convincing it comes almost as a shock when the first inconsistency surfaces.

It's clear throughout the novel that something tragic has caused Columbus to break with reality and this weighs heavily on the reader. In addition to the storyline within the asylum, we also follow an agent from Interpol as he searches for a missing person.... knowing this ties into Columbus' story, yet not knowing how.

Love, romance, mystery, adventure, history, humor..... all a part of this outstanding novel I will not soon forget.

I counted this as a European book for the Global Reading Challenge since it takes place in Spain (both present day and the 15th century!).