I haven’t ever read much science fiction so when my local library reading program (see previous post) suggested trying it, I looked up award winners in the area. I also learned a new word – diptych. These two novels by Willis together (a diptych) won the 2011 Hugo Award for best novel. And, they should be read as one novel, but each are pretty long (512 and 656 pages, respectively) on their own.
In these novels historians from 2060 are sent back in time. Grad students, rather than reading about WWII, pick their topic of study and then schedule visits back in time. For example, one grad student, Michael, is interested in heroes so he picks 5-6 different heroes he wants to observe. He has to go to wardrobe for the correct costumes and for one of his characters he has to get an implant so that he has an American accent. There are some limits to time travel. For example, he’s not allowed near divergence points where he might impact the historical outcome. However, something goes wrong and three grad students remain in 1940 London long after their assignments are over.
Historians might be interested in seeing how accurate Willis got all the bombings going on in England at the time. I know it made me realize I hadn’t quite understood the full impact of the bombings on London during WWII. Willis depicts life in the underground shelters and how ordinary citizens adjust to a new normal where every night they head to a shelter. And, each morning they come up wondering what buildings will have been destroyed. One of the graduate students, Polly, works in a department store and it really becomes an act of courage to report to work every day. Not so much for her as her adviser insisted she pick a store that wasn’t hit, but for everyone else showing up each day so people can continue to come in and buy clothes.
The third graduate student is working with evacuated children outside of London. She has two especially challenging charges. Once the three graduate students realize something has gone wrong and meet up in London they begin to wonder if these two kids or possibly their own interactions with people during their time travel trip are causing some kind of upheaval that is preventing them from leaving 1940 and returning to 2060. Meanwhile in 2060 their adviser and a young student with a crush on Polly are trying to bring them back.
I do recommend reading the two books together. The history of WWII and the drama of the three graduate students all seem realistic – that is you come to care whether they make it back to 2060 or not.
Showing posts with label England. Show all posts
Showing posts with label England. Show all posts
Monday, August 29, 2011
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Elly Griffiths, mystery author
I haven’t read many new mystery authors that I’ve been really taken with lately. Elly Griffiths is an exception. The Crossing Places and The Janus Stone are set in an isolated part of England along the east coast. Ruth (or Dr. Galloway), the main protagonist, is a forensic archeologist, which entails investigating and dating old bones – like remains from the Bronze or Iron Age in England.
In The Crossing Places, Griffiths’ first mystery, Ruth is called to a scene on a beach and meets DCI Harry Nelson. The remains turn out to be much older than any case he has going, but he subsequently calls her to other scenes. In The Janus Stone a child’s skeleton is found under the doorway of a former children’s home and Ruth becomes involved in figuring out who this child could be.
The descriptions of the area where Ruth lives, a desolate saltmarsh, are also well done. Having only been to London, it’s interesting to read about a very different part of England. Here she’s walking near her house:
“For about twenty minutes she plods on, head down against the driving rain. Then she stops. She should have reached the gravel path by now. It is almost completely dark, with just a faint phosphorescent gleam coming from the marsh itself. Ruth gets out her torch but its shaky light shows her only flat marshland in all directions. Far off, she can hear the sea roaring as it thunders inland.”
In The Janus Stone Ruth is also dealing with an unexpected pregnancy as she heads out to various sites:
“They climb the hill. Ruth trying to disguise how out of breath she is. Jesus, at this rate she’ll be immobile at nine months.”
I enjoyed the humor throughout the books, even as they’re digging up bones.
In The Crossing Places, Griffiths’ first mystery, Ruth is called to a scene on a beach and meets DCI Harry Nelson. The remains turn out to be much older than any case he has going, but he subsequently calls her to other scenes. In The Janus Stone a child’s skeleton is found under the doorway of a former children’s home and Ruth becomes involved in figuring out who this child could be.
The descriptions of the area where Ruth lives, a desolate saltmarsh, are also well done. Having only been to London, it’s interesting to read about a very different part of England. Here she’s walking near her house:
“For about twenty minutes she plods on, head down against the driving rain. Then she stops. She should have reached the gravel path by now. It is almost completely dark, with just a faint phosphorescent gleam coming from the marsh itself. Ruth gets out her torch but its shaky light shows her only flat marshland in all directions. Far off, she can hear the sea roaring as it thunders inland.”
In The Janus Stone Ruth is also dealing with an unexpected pregnancy as she heads out to various sites:
“They climb the hill. Ruth trying to disguise how out of breath she is. Jesus, at this rate she’ll be immobile at nine months.”
I enjoyed the humor throughout the books, even as they’re digging up bones.
Friday, September 3, 2010
Atonement by Ian McEwan
The novel Atonement is initially set in the English countryside prior to WWII. McEwan sets up the classic chaotic country house. It includes an ineffectual mother, an absent father, three cousins staying as their parents divorce, and the oldest son home for a visit with a friend. Briony is 13 at the time and constantly writing. McEwan captures a 13 year olds view of herself as the center of the universe perfectly.
Briony’s older sister, Cecilia, is home from college and trying to figure out why she’s having trouble getting along with Robbie. Robbie is the son of their cleaning lady and a friend since the age of 7. One of the things that McEwan does best is to describe feelings.
“This was what happened when they talked these days; one or the other was always in the wrong, trying to call back the last remark. There was no ease, no stability in the course of their conversations, no chance to relax. Instead, it was spikes, traps, and awkward turns that caused her to dislike herself almost as much as she disliked him.”
Cecilia and Robbie realize almost simultaneously that they are in love. They have one brief moment together before the events of that night unfold. Briony plays a role in separating them and the juxtaposition between the house in the countryside and Robbie fighting in the war is masterful. Robbie is involved in a horrific retreat from France and keeps flashing back to his former life.
“It seemed like another man’s life to him now. A dead civilization. First his own life ruined, then everybody else’s.”
I highly recommend Atonement and it is on my list of my favorite 10 novels. I don’t usually like reading about war, but the story here is so interesting the war scenes are worth it.
Briony’s older sister, Cecilia, is home from college and trying to figure out why she’s having trouble getting along with Robbie. Robbie is the son of their cleaning lady and a friend since the age of 7. One of the things that McEwan does best is to describe feelings.
“This was what happened when they talked these days; one or the other was always in the wrong, trying to call back the last remark. There was no ease, no stability in the course of their conversations, no chance to relax. Instead, it was spikes, traps, and awkward turns that caused her to dislike herself almost as much as she disliked him.”
Cecilia and Robbie realize almost simultaneously that they are in love. They have one brief moment together before the events of that night unfold. Briony plays a role in separating them and the juxtaposition between the house in the countryside and Robbie fighting in the war is masterful. Robbie is involved in a horrific retreat from France and keeps flashing back to his former life.
“It seemed like another man’s life to him now. A dead civilization. First his own life ruined, then everybody else’s.”
I highly recommend Atonement and it is on my list of my favorite 10 novels. I don’t usually like reading about war, but the story here is so interesting the war scenes are worth it.
Monday, January 11, 2010
The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield
In this fiction book Vida Winter is a popular author. She had one book published many years ago called Thirteen Tales of Change and Desperation, however, the book only had 12 stories. She’s since lied to everyone who’s asked about what that thirteenth tale could be. She’s now dying and asks a relatively unknown biographer, Margaret Lea, to hear her tale.
The Thirteenth Tale is a gothic tale, by that I mean there is an old family, an old house, incest, servants, scientific experiments, babies, and a fire involved. Jane Eyre is the classic example of a gothic romance tale. This tale is not a romance, but rather a tale of family. The whole story is somewhat unbelievable when viewed from afar, but the writing is excellent and draws one in.
In Vida’s letter to ask Margaret to visit and write her biography Vida mentions how she fooled a reporter.
“I didn’t tell him the truth. How could I? I told him a story. An impoverished, malnourished little thing. No sparkle, no sequins, just a few dull and faded patches, roughly tacked together with the edges left frayed. The kind of story that looks like real life. Or what people imagine real life to be, which is something rather different.”
To ensure that Vida is telling the truth this time, Margaret asks for three things to verify her story. This leads to Margaret’s entanglements with people who are still living in the town where Vida grew up.
Margaret does move in with Vida and begin listening to her story. However, Margaret has her own secrets and her own story that gradually comes out along with Vida’s. Here Margaret contemplates her birthday:
“Unhappy birthday. From the day I was born, grief was always present. It settled like dust upon the household. It covered everyone and everything: it invaded us with every breath we took. It shrouded us in our own separate miseries.”
I think this novel compares favorably with Jane Eyre and is at least as compelling. I highly recommend it and it is on my list of top ten fiction books.
The Thirteenth Tale is a gothic tale, by that I mean there is an old family, an old house, incest, servants, scientific experiments, babies, and a fire involved. Jane Eyre is the classic example of a gothic romance tale. This tale is not a romance, but rather a tale of family. The whole story is somewhat unbelievable when viewed from afar, but the writing is excellent and draws one in.
In Vida’s letter to ask Margaret to visit and write her biography Vida mentions how she fooled a reporter.
“I didn’t tell him the truth. How could I? I told him a story. An impoverished, malnourished little thing. No sparkle, no sequins, just a few dull and faded patches, roughly tacked together with the edges left frayed. The kind of story that looks like real life. Or what people imagine real life to be, which is something rather different.”
To ensure that Vida is telling the truth this time, Margaret asks for three things to verify her story. This leads to Margaret’s entanglements with people who are still living in the town where Vida grew up.
Margaret does move in with Vida and begin listening to her story. However, Margaret has her own secrets and her own story that gradually comes out along with Vida’s. Here Margaret contemplates her birthday:
“Unhappy birthday. From the day I was born, grief was always present. It settled like dust upon the household. It covered everyone and everything: it invaded us with every breath we took. It shrouded us in our own separate miseries.”
I think this novel compares favorably with Jane Eyre and is at least as compelling. I highly recommend it and it is on my list of top ten fiction books.
Saturday, February 21, 2009
The Water Clock by Jim Kelly
The Water Clock is the first in a series of mysteries with journalist Phillip Dryden as an investigator. I found the backstory on the journalist almost more interesting than the central mystery. He’s working for a local paper, somewhat of a comedown, from his former job in London. Phillip has taken this job because his wife has been in a coma for the past two years ever since a traffic accident that he barely survived. Unfortunately, his unidentified rescuer (and the cause of the accident) did not realize that Phillip’s wife had been in the back seat. Phillip feels guilty about Laura being left behind. He also is beginning to acknowledge his feelings that he’d almost rather have her not recover than for her to need constant care for the rest of her life.
Phillip hasn’t driven since the accident. He has a long-term driver, Humphrey Holt or Humph, to take him to various accidents and interviews. Humph is strange character and pretty anti-social, but backs up Phillip when necessary. The discovery of a murdered body in the trunk of a car in a frozen river starts off a chain of events. Phillip doesn’t have much faith in Detective Sergeant Stubbs, who is assigned to the case, and begins investigations on his own. Evidence implicates an unsolved robbery from more than twenty-five years prior as central to the current crime. Phillip’s investigations put Laura at risk, but also offer him bargaining power with Stubbs in his hope to obtain the sealed documents about his own accident.
The story is set in the Fens of England. Water very much plays a role in Phillip’s life as he was rescued as a child from a frozen river, his father died of ‘misadventure’ during a flood, Laura and his car ended up in a ditch during their accident, and, as the identity of the murdered becomes clearer to Phillip, the Fens are threatened by a severe flood. I think astute readers will be able to solve the mystery before the end of the book, but I didn’t. I’m looking forward to reading the next few books in the series to find out what happens to Phillip and Laura as well as Humph.
Phillip hasn’t driven since the accident. He has a long-term driver, Humphrey Holt or Humph, to take him to various accidents and interviews. Humph is strange character and pretty anti-social, but backs up Phillip when necessary. The discovery of a murdered body in the trunk of a car in a frozen river starts off a chain of events. Phillip doesn’t have much faith in Detective Sergeant Stubbs, who is assigned to the case, and begins investigations on his own. Evidence implicates an unsolved robbery from more than twenty-five years prior as central to the current crime. Phillip’s investigations put Laura at risk, but also offer him bargaining power with Stubbs in his hope to obtain the sealed documents about his own accident.
The story is set in the Fens of England. Water very much plays a role in Phillip’s life as he was rescued as a child from a frozen river, his father died of ‘misadventure’ during a flood, Laura and his car ended up in a ditch during their accident, and, as the identity of the murdered becomes clearer to Phillip, the Fens are threatened by a severe flood. I think astute readers will be able to solve the mystery before the end of the book, but I didn’t. I’m looking forward to reading the next few books in the series to find out what happens to Phillip and Laura as well as Humph.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
The Sisters Mortland by Sally Beauman
This novel is set in England in the late 1960’s and early 90’s. It is primarily a tale of three sisters, their companions, and a tragedy that occurs in the summer of 1967. From three points-of-view the story is told over three different time periods. Maisie, the youngest sister at thirteen in 1967, introduces us to the complex household in an old convent. Maisie’s life revolves around her sisters, her mom, her grandfather, Dan – a local boy with gypsy blood, Nick – the doctor’s son, and Lucas – a painter living on the grounds.
The second part of the story is told from Dan’s point-of-view. It is the early 90’s and the painting Lucas made of the three sisters has become quite well-known. Dan has always been in love with Finn, the middle sister, and wonders how they ever grew apart. I found the story told from his perspective the most interesting part of the book. An example of the author’s writing from Dan’s perspective when he goes to the gallery to see the famous picture: “Slowly, reluctantly, I raise my eyes to the portrait. I know it so well, yet every time I look at it, it morphs. It will not remain stable; it retains a nasty capacity to alarm, puzzle, perturb, delight, arouse, blind, and illuminate.”
Dan also records the story of that summer allowing the narrative to continue from Julia, the oldest sister. At the end of the book I still had some questions, especially about the younger two sisters, that were left unanswered. Possibly that is meant to be like real life, where you can never really know all you want about a person. This is a hefty book, and a good one to take on a trip. I read a lot of it on the train back to Oregon from the Bay Area.
The second part of the story is told from Dan’s point-of-view. It is the early 90’s and the painting Lucas made of the three sisters has become quite well-known. Dan has always been in love with Finn, the middle sister, and wonders how they ever grew apart. I found the story told from his perspective the most interesting part of the book. An example of the author’s writing from Dan’s perspective when he goes to the gallery to see the famous picture: “Slowly, reluctantly, I raise my eyes to the portrait. I know it so well, yet every time I look at it, it morphs. It will not remain stable; it retains a nasty capacity to alarm, puzzle, perturb, delight, arouse, blind, and illuminate.”
Dan also records the story of that summer allowing the narrative to continue from Julia, the oldest sister. At the end of the book I still had some questions, especially about the younger two sisters, that were left unanswered. Possibly that is meant to be like real life, where you can never really know all you want about a person. This is a hefty book, and a good one to take on a trip. I read a lot of it on the train back to Oregon from the Bay Area.
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Brodie Farrell Mysteries by Jo Bannister
I love finding a new, new to me that is, mystery series. Especially one that has a number of books in the series already published. It means you don't have to wait a year or two for the author to write the next one.
I have recently been reading Jo Bannister's mysteries featuring Brodie Farrell. I started with the most recent one, Flawed, and then went back and started at the beginning with Echoes of Lies. There are seven mysteries in all so far.
Brodie Farrell is a divorced, single mother living in England. To support herself and her daughter she starts up a business called Looking for Something? So, that is what she does. Some days she may be searching antique shops for a particular vase to match one a client has at home or she may be looking for a person. It is through this business that she meets Daniel Hood, a mathematics teacher. Daniel is stubborn and always insists on telling the truth; this may seem like a plus, but it tends to get him into difficult situations. Brodie also meets and develops a relationship with Detective Superintendent Jack Deacon, who seems physically and emotionally to be the opposite of Hood.
The interactions between these three people are well-developed, realistic, and intriguing. Other characters that enter the different books are also interesting, including Deacon's assistant and the various villians that come and go. Now I'm waiting for book #8 to come out.
I have recently been reading Jo Bannister's mysteries featuring Brodie Farrell. I started with the most recent one, Flawed, and then went back and started at the beginning with Echoes of Lies. There are seven mysteries in all so far.
Brodie Farrell is a divorced, single mother living in England. To support herself and her daughter she starts up a business called Looking for Something? So, that is what she does. Some days she may be searching antique shops for a particular vase to match one a client has at home or she may be looking for a person. It is through this business that she meets Daniel Hood, a mathematics teacher. Daniel is stubborn and always insists on telling the truth; this may seem like a plus, but it tends to get him into difficult situations. Brodie also meets and develops a relationship with Detective Superintendent Jack Deacon, who seems physically and emotionally to be the opposite of Hood.
The interactions between these three people are well-developed, realistic, and intriguing. Other characters that enter the different books are also interesting, including Deacon's assistant and the various villians that come and go. Now I'm waiting for book #8 to come out.
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