You are about to read the review of On a Winter's Night A Traveller by Jonathan Terrington. You look at the review but it is not what you expect. You You are about to read the review of On a Winter's Night A Traveller by Jonathan Terrington. You look at the review but it is not what you expect. You then think some deep thoughts about the world, are constantly addressed as You and wonder what on earth just happened....
This is the response I had to If On a Winter's Night A Traveller which is perhaps one of the most bizarre books I have read. I don't know if it was actually as smart as it seemed to think it was but I liked it still despite many aspects of the book that just seemed like the author's way of putting himself up on a pedestal and yelling "LOOK HOW GREAT I AM!" Anyway I liked this book, reader.
If On a Winter's Night A Traveller is very metafictional and metaphorical. Which is probably why I liked it. I love a book that references other books even if those books and tales are created within the book I was reading. Which is what happens here with this book. The story follows You, the reader, as You meet the Other Reader and pursue her across various novels you read (and which seem to have a female character reminiscent of her). This all works from a male reader's perspective but I did have to wonder what female readers would think being placed into a masculine point of view. That said it was a unique read and somewhat entertaining to me.
If on a winter's night a traveller Outside the town of Malbork Leaning from the steep slope Without fear of wind or vertigo Looks down in the gathering shadow In a network of lines that enlace In a network of lines that intersect On the carpet of leaves illuminated by the moon Around an empty grave What story down there awaits its end?
By now reader you shall have reached the end. You will likely either ignore the review or push the 'like' button. Perhaps you will leave a comment or two for the reviewer. Perhaps you will simply like the review. And perhaps if the reviewer is fortunate you will like the review enough to give the book a chance. Then when you read If On a Winter's Night A Traveller other readers will ask what you are reading and you will say If On a Winter's Night A Traveller by Italo Calvino....more
This is the last book I will finish in 2012 as there are only 6 hours remaining in my day. It is certainly a fitting book (or rather play inside a boo This is the last book I will finish in 2012 as there are only 6 hours remaining in my day. It is certainly a fitting book (or rather play inside a book) to end the year on. For Pygmalion is a story about new beginnings and about transformation. What better book to symbolise the changing of the year, I say!
The classic musical My Fair Lady is perhaps my favourite musical film that I have seen. The acting is superb, the plotting excellent and all the music serves to add to the humorous feel of the film. If you've seen My Fair Lady the plot of Pygmalion will not be too unfamiliar to you. It is the tale of one professor of phonetics by the name of Henry Higgins who makes a bet that he can transform a girl from the street, Eliza Doolittle, into a woman of breeding - a lady - simply by changing her vocabulary and language. Of course if you have seen the musical I must add that the ending in Pygmalion is different, in a way that suits the differences apparent in the play.
The author of this play, George Bernard Shaw, is an interesting character. A man credited with wanting to use the intricacies of the English language to spell 'fish' as 'ghoti'. Which makes indefinitely more sense, who wouldn't want to catch a ghoti? I say 'credited' because various references indicate he likely did not come up with the idea in the first place. Bernard Shaw also won an oscar for the screenplay for My Fair Lady, which makes the differences between the two very interesting to observe. However it is clear as to why Bernard Shaw, with his obsession with language, chose to write a play with a phonetician as its protagonist, something not often done in literature.
The two notable themes I observed in this play are the presence and power of language as it connects to everyday life and also the idea of responsibility for that which we create. This second idea is apparent in connection particularly to the various mythological and literary references visible in Pygmalion.
Language
Language, I have always believed, is power. It is the power to shape the world and change lives. If you've seen the incredible Dead Poets Society you may remember (apart from 'carpe diem') the line about how language was made to 'woo women'. I believe language is far more than about romance or emotion however, though the idea in that line when expanded holds true: that language can influence people. Why else do we have the Biblical creation story where 'And God said "let there be light", and there was light.' (Genesis 1:3)? Why else do we have countless fairytales and fantasy stories where magic is produced through speaking language? Why do we find that the great leaders of all time were also great writers, thinkers and orators? Think of Winston Churchill or Adolf Hitler, a man who manipulated people with words! It is because words, language, has power. Power to affect our thinking processes, those parts of us connected to language and which control us. Language is what truly separates us from animals in many ways.
In Pygmalion language is shown in its transformative ability. The language of Liza Doolittle to begin with is atrocious and as such she belongs to the streets, selling flowers. Later she becomes a lady, largely thanks to the change of her vocabulary. It must also be noted, particularly in the garden party scene, how language among the upper classes is a thing of both culture and triviality. When Liza for a moment slips back into her street language the upper class gentry she is among think she is speaking with a new form of popular slang and though taken aback by her cursing something as 'bloody' consider this language progressive. Another instance of transformation is shown in Liza's father who has an eloquence with his tongue in regards to politics to begin with but later becomes a gentlemen because of this language ability.
Literary References
Pygmalion is full of references to literature. In particular John Milton's brilliant Paradise Lost (a must read for all literature lovers by the way), Frankenstein and the myth of Pygmalion and Galatea. According to this myth Pygmalion was a sculptor who created the most beautiful and lifelike sculpture of a woman, having vowed he never would marry. He did however fall in love with this sculpture thanks to Venus (or Aphrodite depending on the version I suppose), who then conveniently transformed the statue into a real woman for Pygmalion to marry. Each of these stories have the main theme of the responsibility of the creator to the created. Paradise Lost observes the relationship between God and his creations in Satan, Adam and Eve; Frankenstein observes the relationship between Victor Frankenstein and his creature; and the mythology of Pygmalion hints at the idea that it was Pygmalion's duty to look after Galatea (the statue) as a wife.
George Bernard Shaw's play Pygmalion could be seen as a subtle subversion of the Pygmalion myth (view spoiler)[in how in the end Liza rejects her 'creator' though he has clearly fallen in love with her (hide spoiler)]. It further suggests that there is a moral obligation for a creator to care for the thing he has created, in Henry Higgins' case he had a duty to Liza (view spoiler)[and one which in the play he fails at (hide spoiler)].
Conclusion
Pygmalion is a deep literary play which has fascinating themes about language and moral obligation. It is also a social critique (as the best plays, poems and novels are) challenging the way we live our lives. Though it is humorous and witty the most powerful aspect of this play is in how it reflects on our true reality, leading the audience to ultimately question 'who in the end is at fault?' ...more
As I commented in my review of the best of collection, Father Brown: The Essential Tales, G.K. Chesterton was a writer of elegance and beauty. His wor As I commented in my review of the best of collection, Father Brown: The Essential Tales, G.K. Chesterton was a writer of elegance and beauty. His work is so tightly written and plotted within each of his short stories that at times if you miss a single point you can find yourself missing some of the genius storytelling.
It is easy to see why the Father Brown Stories are Chesterton's most popular works in our modern times. They are absolute classics of the detective genre, written exquisitely with wit, charm and insight. Though written decades ago they still speak to the modern reader with intelligence and without patronisation.
It is clear to me that Chesterton is well suited to the short story format, perhaps slightly better than the novel. I've yet to read his plays, his poetry or criticism however this is my perspective so far. He keeps his short stories more-or-less to the point without meandering into philosophical tangents, which he does in his novel, The Man Who Was Thursday. It appears that G.K. Chesterton in his short stories instead uses the plot to share his philosophy rather than deviating. This works much better in my view as it gives a great insight into his ideology and thoughts without preaching irrelevantly or affecting the story quality. The other aspect of his short stories that works a lot better are that the lack the allegorical and fantasy elements of The Man Who Was Thursday all of which further makes them more accessible to the reader.
A good example of how Chesterton shares his philosophy through the plot is this:
"'There is a limit to human charity,' said Lady Outram, trembling all over. 'There is,' said Father Brown dryly; 'and that is the real difference between human charity and Christian charity. You must forgive me if I was not altogether crushed by your contempt for my uncharitableness today; or by the lectures you read me about pardon for every sinner. For it seems to me that you only pardon the sins you don't really think sinful. You only forgive criminals when they commit what you don't regard as crimes, but rather as conventions.'"
I personally find Chesterton to be a truly witty writer much like another man who made his living with writing - Oscar Wilde. The beginning of this collection opens with a short story (The Secret of Father Brown) discussing the methodology by which Father Brown solves all the crimes. To which the obvious answer is:
"'You see it was I who killed all those people.' 'What?' replied the other, in small voice out of a vast silence.* 'You see, I had murdered them all myself,' explained Father Brown patiently. 'So, of course, I knew how it was done.'
This story pauses to allow for the other stories in the collection room. It is suggested that they are being recalled to memory by Father Brown during this pause in the story. The story then closes at the end of the book as the reader looks at the secret of another key figure across the short stories (The Secret of Flambeau).
I fully recommend this collection. The Father Brown Stories are as relevant today as when they were published and, in my eyes, G.K. Chesterton is a must-read author. His work questions morality, theology, philosophy and analyses how extraordinary everyday life truly is. Not only that but he writes some incredible mystery stories in this volume with all the intricacy of a Sherlock Holmes' tale. In fact one of the interesting things I note is how Chesterton is able to write in such a way to detract from who the real criminal is in his stories. You guess one individual and often the real criminal may be less obvious than it appears.
"Things can be irrelevant to the proposition that Christianity is false, but nothing can be irrelevant to the proposition that Christianity is true "Things can be irrelevant to the proposition that Christianity is false, but nothing can be irrelevant to the proposition that Christianity is true."
Certainly nothing is irrelevant to discussing Christianity when G.K. Chesterton writes a classic apologetics work. Orthodoxy is and is not a typical apologetics work. It defends the orthodox Christian world-view and it moreover discusses and reveals what Chesterton's own views and values were. As such Chesterton does not back away from discussing as broad a range of topics as possible. He moves from ideologies to science to philosophy and to literature both criticising and appraising other values, ultimately holding a sustained argument that discusses that, as he sees it, Christianity can be defended both logically and emotionally.
For those who ask whether such a book holds value today Chesterton can still defend himself. He defends with the subtle wit of a genius and he is a thinker who builds strong argument upon strong argument. "Some dogma, we are told, was credible in the 12th century, but is not credible in the 20th. You might as well believe that a certain philosophy can be believed on Mondays but not on Tuesdays." The same idea holds I believe for this book. It is applicable today as it was in the 1900s.
I've chosen a few chapters that particularly appealed to me and have tried to summarise what I saw in them of interest.
The Maniac
"'The men who really believe in themselves are all in lunatic asylums ... Believing utterly in one's self is a hysterical and superstitious belief like believing in Joanna Southcoate: the man who has it has 'Hanwell' written on his face as plain as it is written on that omnibus.' And to all this my friend the publisher made this very deep and effective reply, 'Well, if a man is not to believe in himself, in what is he to believe?' After a long pause I replied, 'I will go home and write a book in answer to that question.' This is the book that I have written in answer to it."
In this second chapter, following a brief introduction, Chesterton explores the nature of madness. He challenges the idea which claims poets as being mad due to their artistic nature. It is not artistic endeavour which creates madness, Chesterton insists, it is too much reason.
"Poetry is sane because it floats easily in an infinite sea; reason seeks to cross the infinite sea and so make it finite."
There is a sense that Chesterton is setting up his argument to reveal first and foremost that the world we live in is one of both reason and wonder. He questions the nature of the world that we can both accept something as old and still find something new within it regularly. He does not aim to state that reason is bad, he later suggests that reasoning is important. However his argument is about reason without imagination or 'wonder.' For that is Chesterton's insanity that he argues about.
"It is the logician that seeks to get the heavens into his head. And it is his head that splits."
The flag of the world
Chesterton here discusses the idea of jingoism, relying on that as a concept for how people may approach the world. His argument is that as we all have various patriotic ties so too we may have patriotic ties that link to our worldviews. This idea is particularly extended to reveal that the jingo version of a view is one that does not actually love that which it claims to love. A jingo love for democracy does not actually love the people which it is meant to love but rather loves the idea of democracy in other words.
The Paradoxes of Christianity
This chapter was one of my favourites. I feel that Chesterton is at his best when utilising or discussing paradoxical situations. He appears to understand them better than any other author I've read. In this chapter Chesterton discussed his personal reaction to what he terms the paradoxes of Christianity. This being that Christianity is a bad religion because of the arguments made that a)its followers are too passive (due to the 'turn the other cheek' mentality) and also b)too violent (due to the crusades).
"This puzzled me; the charges seemed inconsistent. Christianity could not at once be the black mask on a white world, and also the white mask on a black world."
This discussion appealed to me because I think Chesterton highlighted a key point. The element of humanity involvement with any belief. Christianity as an ideal belief is pure, it is the hypocritical and double-thinking element of man which makes it into any paradoxical idea.
Conclusion
"We must have in us enough reverence for all things outside us to make us tread fearfully on the grass. We must also have enough disdain for all things outside us to make us, on due occasion, spit at the stars."
It appears to me that Chesterton's argument ultimately boils down into the call for a return to an orthodox faith which is practical theology. I feel that this belief is what is needed in today's sceptical world. Belief which can be used in reality.
"Christianity, even when watered down, is hot enough to boil all modern society to rags."
G.K. Chesterton may appear too condescending to some and too self-deprecating to others. I cannot help but wonder if he, the prince of paradox, would have found that somewhat amusing. On the whole however I find his writing to be full of wit, humour, irony, sarcasm and above all wisdom. His way of stating his opinions in a manner that is forceful and commanding and yet rarely resorts to dictatorial preaching is something I want to see more of in today's individuals. Surely the gift of defending one's beliefs has not died out in the past century and surely the gift of writing about and with paradox can be found in other authors? I surely hope so.
"If I say, 'A peasant saw a ghost,' I am told, 'But peasants are so credulous.' If I ask, 'Why credulous?' The only answer is - that they see ghosts."...more
"The way I see it there's a Truth on every planet. All parts of the Big Truth. On a certain day they'll all fit together like the pieces of a jigsa
"The way I see it there's a Truth on every planet. All parts of the Big Truth. On a certain day they'll all fit together like the pieces of a jigsaw...For this truth here is as true as Earth's truth, and they lie side by side."
Ray Bradbury was a great writer whose work speaks volumes (I say this after having read two incredible novels of his, but then you only need one grand novel to touch the reading world). Ray Bradbury was also in my view a poet at heart, if not in his style. Great poets make people feel their emotions (it's the reason Sylvia Plath is so great as a poet but also so depressing to read).
The Martian Chronicles, like Fahrenheit 451 is at times disjointed, bizarre, surreal and fantastical, however it is in all degrees a beautiful novel. Made up of multiple short stories layered chronologically and focused around the connection between Earth and Mars this is science fantasy work at its best.
What The Martian Chronicles excels at is in how it takes a foreign idea and expresses familiar ideas. For instance environmentalism, colonisation, the danger of war, alienation, humanity as a collective, religion, society, politics, consumerism and much, much more. I particularly like how he indicates the repetitive nature of history. For such a slim novel Bradbury sure packs in more thought than most of the latest 1000 page epics.
“The rockets set the bony meadows afire, turned rock to lava, turned wood to charcoal, transmuted water to steam, made sand and silica into green glass which lay like shattered mirrors reflecting the invasion, all about. The rockets came like drums, beating in the night. The rockets came like locusts, swarming and settling in blooms of rosy smoke.”
I would recommend this book to anyone interested in science fiction or classic writing. Ray Bradbury was one of the great writers of our time and his expression would be missed save that he continues to speak from volumes like this in intricate ways. I do however, recommend anyone stays away from audiobook versions since I found the one I listened to quite confusing, as it did not convey the short story format well.
Read this for the ideas, read it for the language, read it because you love to read. Just ensure you read this book at some point. It is a true classic in my eyes.
"Is this then how it was so long ago? On the rim of the precipice, on the edge of the cliff of stars, In their time the smell of buffalo, and in our time the smell of the Rocket. Is this then how it was? And she decided, as sleep assumed the dreaming for her, that yes,yes indeed, very much so, irrevocably, this was how it had always been and would forever continue to be."...more
"Chesterton inherited from the aesthetes of the 1880s and 1890s the conviction hat a writer should be continuously 'bright' and epigrammatic...When "Chesterton inherited from the aesthetes of the 1880s and 1890s the conviction hat a writer should be continuously 'bright' and epigrammatic...When he is really enthralled by a subject he is brilliant, without any doubt one of the finest aphorists in English literature." -- W.H. Auden
As P.D James writes in her introduction "Gilbert Keith Chesterton...was a man of letters*." By this she means that G.K. Chesterton is one of those authors who prolifically earned his living solely by what he wrote. He was poet, playwright, short story writer, intellectual thinker and novelist and onto that many have named him a Catholic apologist, theologian and debater. And he was an author who inspired C.S. Lewis and J.R.R Tolkien in their own patterns of thinking. Not only this he is noted for having been a fine critic and theorist in regards to other literary texts. As T.S. Elliot wrote, "there is not better critic living of Dickens himself than Mr. Chesterton." However of all his work, and having recently encountered G.K. Chesterton I have discovered that he wrote a vast library of work, it is his short stories featuring Father Brown which remain the most relevant to today's audiences even if his criticism of Dickens has influenced current academic thought on Dickens.
"[Father Brown] is one of the greatest of all great detective figures." -- Kingsley Amis
This volume is not one of the 'canon' collections of Father Brown. By this I mean that it is not one of the original collections of stories. Rather it is a collection of some of the finer tales about Father Brown. In my view it is an excellent collection to allow anyone to get into the world of Father Brown. The stories seem to appear in chronological order and each story is brilliant. I'll give you three reasons you must look at these stories, three things that draw me into any novel.
The writing
"But even if a single story disappoints, the quality of the writing never does. Chesterton never wrote an inelegant or clumsy sentence. The Father Brown stories are written in a style richly complex, imaginative, vigorous, poetic and spiced with paradoxes. He was an artist as well as a writer and he sees life with an artist's eye." -- P.D James 'the Introduction'"
I often, I must admit, skip through Introductions if they appear over long and tedious to read. I feel I need to read through the text first before looking at the theories and ideas apparent in the introduction. However in this case P.D. James wrote such a compelling introduction that I read it all the way through before starting a single story. Not only a compelling introduction, might I add, but a truthful one.
G.K. Chesterton writes incredibly beautifully. Beautiful is a word thrown around casually now but never is it truer than when applied to Chesterton's writing. His work is so precise and neat, his thought and genius incredibly apparent in every word. In many ways he is like Peake with his Gormenghast novels, albeit writing in a less florid manner and with less elongated words. However in his construction Chesterton is superb. Grammatically and punctually he is as close to perfect as a man can get in my view.
The themes
"In one respect G.K. Chesterton was ahead of his time. He was one of the first writers of detective fiction to realize that this popular genre could be a vehicle for exploring and exposing the condition of society and of saying something true about human nature." -- P.D James 'the Introduction'"
G.K. Chesterton does not write a traditional mystery novel. Yes there are murders, thefts and police. Yes there is crime. However what he looks at are the crimes beyond the crimes. The 'sinful' acts committed by men and women. Those emotional and moral attitudes which are behind the actual physical deed. Think what you like about Catholicism or Christianity, these are stories which anyone who likes to think about mystery and the human condition should read.
One fascinating aspect of the themes are evident in how in his stories Chesterton connects the characters to the themes. He makes care to draw out what the character's beliefs are. He indicates what their prejudices and desires might be due to their world views. He challenges how our beliefs lead us to do many different things in other words. And it is not atheists and agnostics who commit all the crimes. Many of the crimes are committed by the Christians in his tales. Thus he shows that all people can commit crimes, that no one is exempt from the law.
The characters
As mentioned, Chesterton bases his characters around their beliefs. Aside from that he makes enigmatic and eccentric characters who are fascinating to observe. Not only that the characters do not exist in a black and white morality but are nuanced and develop across the stories. Many of the reoccurring characters may change their opinions from book to book. A crook may become a hero. A hero may become a crook. In this way Chesterton shows the changeable nature of people and reveals with his characters a snapshot of the extraordinariness of everyday life.
The descriptions are first class. Chesterton mixes two description techniques excellently. At times he will fully flesh out a location, character or place and then at others he will write simply, allowing the reader to identify for themselves what a character is like. However he always writes in a way that links his characters to something unforgettable about them. Whether that be a jacket or hat they wear, some odd facial hair or even something about their posture.
In conclusion...
In a world where nearly anyone can publish books I would love to see more authors like G.K. Chesterton. People who write intellectually, challengingly and influentially. I'm not criticising self-publishing. I have found some excellent self-published books (I have also heard rumours of some terrible books from both self-publishing and publishing sources). What I merely question is how easily we allow books to get published in our times for the quick dollar. I know not everyone releases books for that reason but that's what marketing books is all about now sadly. It would be a shame if we could never see such authors as G.K. Chesterton again. Writers who write for artistic reasons and create stories with ideas and the aim to show something about the world.
I fully recommend you read any of The Father Brown short stories. They are excellent literature, some of the best mystery short stories I have found. In fact some of the best short stories around. Father Brown is a great mystery figure and Chesterton's work is grand inspiration. I think he deserves a place among the greats of literature for that reason. I also recommend his The Man Who Was Thursday.
*I only skipped the historical information about his date of birth for this quote, honestly!...more
It was only last year that I discovered the joy of short stories thanks to Anton Chekhov and Edgar Allan Poe (although it seems longer since time is a It was only last year that I discovered the joy of short stories thanks to Anton Chekhov and Edgar Allan Poe (although it seems longer since time is a "great ball of wibbly wobbly timey wimey stuff"). Since then I have been interested in the great short story authors of all time (as well as writing my own short stories), among whom Lovecraft is often mentioned. So I was very optimistic about this volume of stories when I started to read it - particularly in regards to the 'infamous Cthulhu Mythos.'
This volume opened with a brilliant foreword by Robert Bloch which described why Lovecraft deserves to be among the greats of horror writing and short story writing. When I read his stories I found them to have a similar effervescence and mellifluous beauty to Poe and in some parts the simplicity of Chekhov, yet clearly the work was one hundred percent unique. What Lovecraft has done with his short stories is create a world that focuses on the unknown. His terror is not simple blood and gore shock tactics to scare the audience, it is the horror that requires a deeper level of skill, to creep the audience out by linking the narrators to mysterious and creepy terrors. I found the supernatural and science fiction elements of his horror unique to him as while his language may have been similar to other short story artists the themes were completely unique and specific to his work. Very few other short story writers have written short stories that constantly link while telling different stories.
What are the themes of these short stories? Well Lovecraft deals in a variety of themes such as: dreams, mirrors and hence the self, the 'other', the unknown, the danger of cults and occult powers, corpses, tombs, old ruined houses, cannibalism, science vs. religion, the cosmos, monsters vs. men, crawling and slimy creatures, insanity and psychology. It seemed to me that Lovecraft believed not in deities as such or had a personal religion but was more a scientist who believed in the power of the cosmos. His view seems that the universe is strange, chaotic and hence unordered by the power of one supreme being but perhaps there may be old powers that exist in the "black seas of infinity" and will exist after people. Of course while my beliefs are very different it was interesting to note this in his fiction. He seemed to still hold a concept of black and white morality despite there being very much a greyness about his stance on human life and the powers in the universe. Curious...
The thing I also loved about the stories was pointed out to me by the foreword. Where most novels and short stories have either an unreliable* or a reliable** narrator Lovecraft wrote stories that had both at once in some strange way. The way he did this was to write first person narratives with characters who had the information but also some kind of flaw to make you doubt where the reliability was or was not. For instance this particularly occurs in the first story in this volume. (view spoiler)[Where the narrator appears to describe everything reliably until right at the end we discover that he is in fact narrating from an asylum and he is being classed as insane. However he claims he's not insane. So which viewpoint do we take? (hide spoiler)]
I strongly recommend also that anyone interested in Lovecraft check out the essay he wrote called Supernatural horror in literature. It provides several unique insights and perspectives. I also naturally recommend his tales if you're into short stories or gothic horror fiction that meets a kind of supernatural science fiction horror.
*That is you're never quite sure whether what they're telling you is all the facts or 'the truth' such as in the case of Dracula for instance. **Work it out from my definition of unreliable narrator That is a narrator who you believe to be telling all the facts or at least enough to trust his perspective. Think Nick from The Great Gatsby....more
The Man Who Was Thursday is my first venture into the writing of G.K. Chesterton having discovered the existence of this writer earlier in the year. O The Man Who Was Thursday is my first venture into the writing of G.K. Chesterton having discovered the existence of this writer earlier in the year. Of course the first I heard of him was in reference to his Father Brown stories, one volume of which I have on my to read stack. I then heard that his most recognised book is this one, so naturally I organised to read it.
The Man Who Was Thursday is truly a classic detective tale, yet it is also an allegory. I didn't realise the book was an allegory when I begun reading until I read up on the book and discovered that fact. However on finishing this book I can clearly see the allegorical nature of this book.
What did I love about this book? I loved the whit and humour in the writing. I loved the philosophical asides in the novel and the way in which G.K. Chesterton views humanity. I loved the uniqueness of this book. I may have seen the plot twists way before they happened but I still found everything else wholly unique.
The plot of this novel follows one man, a Philosophical Policeman/Poet as he goes undercover to infiltrate a bizarre group of anarchists. These anarchists each have a name of the week as their title and the main protagonist, Gabriel Syme, is given the title of Thursday. However he quickly discovers that it may be harder to hide who he is in the group than he realises as he discovers some surprises about the anarchists themselves. As for the allegory of the book? It seemed to me that G.K. Chesterton was suggesting that Christian believers are undercover agents if you will in the world and must go nearer to the devil at times than they do. What I mean by that is that I know of churches that believed dancing or drinking slightly was an evil and I think G.K. Chesterton is saying that Christian believers need to be less aloof and religious and more down to earth. That is what I saw in this book anyway...
I will admit I didn't 'get' the entirety of this book. Maybe study would be needed to fully grasp the hidden complexity of this novel. Do I recommend it for everyone? Not for everyone. I recommend it for those who like an allegory, a mystery or a laugh. I recommend it for those who want to read about the many faces we as humans wear to hide our true identities from the anarchists around us.
Postscript:
Others have suggested that the book was about people experiencing pain and hurt in order to also experience joy. I may have to re-read this book or those sections. Is it dated? A little, but still highly readable. It's very surreal and crazy, still can't stop thinking about it's ending and what it all means...
Post-postscript:
I have since reading this days ago discovered more about G.K. Chesterton. He's apparently a noted literary theorist, poet, novelist, short story writer, a friend of George Bernard Shaw, influencer of C.S.Lewis with his apologetics work and witty journalist. He is known as the 'prince of paradox'. I look forward to reading more of his work!...more
"We can only suppose that its new life as a musical - and what an appropriate fate for that most operatic novelist - will help to bring Les Misérables"We can only suppose that its new life as a musical - and what an appropriate fate for that most operatic novelist - will help to bring Les Misérables to the attention of a new generation of readers, reminding them perhaps that the abuses Hugo catalogues are still alive elsewhere, awaiting their own chroniclers in the brave new world of the twenty first century." - Peter Washington, Introduction
There are few novels which one can consider true masterpieces and among the greatest pieces of writing ever written. The Lord of the Rings, The Chronicles of Narnia, Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan, The Complete Sherlock Holmes and Complete Stories and Poems number among these as examples. However there are some momentous epics in terms of themes such as Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell and this great work: Les Misérables, which despite their length are well worth the investment.
Les Misérables, as a novel, is far grander than its worthy adaptations (of which the 1998 film with Liam Neeson and the stageplay are the finer works). It is not the simple tale of Jean Valjean escaping from Inspector Javert. It is so much more. It is: a love story, the love story of France as well as a romance; a tragedy, a catalogue of the miserable citizens of historic France; a historical chronicle, a mapping out of the cultural landscape of one image of time; above all it is a literary masterpiece.
Victor Hugo may have his failings in this novel. At times he falls into pompous verbosity, rambling on about subjects which appear to lack relevance to the story. However, what he has achieved in this novel is nothing short of remarkable. This is literature at its finest, a book recording the suffering and beauty of humanity and reflecting upon it in language which is both complex and simple despite translation. Speaking of translation, this version by Charles E. Wilbour appears quite excellent (if old fashioned). And therefore anyone interested in reading this work is encouraged to get a true unabridged version. Reading the abridged versions will only ruin the charm of the story and perhaps your understanding of the story itself.
Atlas Shrugged is another of those novels which are classic because they create both an entertaining story, contain philosophical ideas and tie into h Atlas Shrugged is another of those novels which are classic because they create both an entertaining story, contain philosophical ideas and tie into historical events. Yet for me Atlas Shrugged was a contradictory enigma. It was both a long novel and yet its most basic message could be boiled down to a line such as ”I will never live for the sake of another man, nor ask another man to live for mine”; it was both exceptionally good and exceptionally poor in places; and it at points seemed to support an ideology and then attack it. Ultimately I liked some of the philosophy, I enjoyed the story (or else I would have quit reading likely) and yet I found that the long philosophical spiels turned out to be far too preachy and hence ruined the entertaining aspects of the story. I feel that George Orwell and Alduous Huxley wrote far better in their balance between story and message.
The plot follows two central characters while also covering several other important individuals. However one of the two characters makes almost no appearance in the first three quarters of the book. Hence the mysterious question on everyone’s lips: ”Who is John Galt?” It could be seen as a dystopian and a semi-science fictional type of novel for Atlas Shrugged is set in a fictional America where the government rules ‘for the will of the people’, seizing the assets of the wealthy in order to do so. The main protagonist Dagny Taggart blindly accepts this system as she tries to become the sole female entrepreneur in the fictional economy. Yet gradually she comes to see that the government is manipulative and self-serving and that she cannot continue to accept that system as proper any longer.
It appears to me that Ayn Rand’s book was very much influenced by the contrast between the governments of Russia and America around the time of writing. Rand left Europe to go to America where Atlas Shrugged was published and therefore it is likely she would have witnessed communism first-hand. Yet it also appears to me that as a result she turns American capitalism into a kind of panacea, believing that because that system was better than Russian communism it was a wonderful system. She certainly argues her philosophy in her novel that those who become rich through work have earned it and deserve to keep their wealth and not have it taken from them. Yet I think she is in many ways too optimistic as any human made ideology has flaws in it: to believe that one is the cure to all ills is a fallacy in my opinion. Even democracy as we have institutionalised it has many flaws. I for one do not get a truly direct say in governing my country.
I disagree with many of Ayn Rand’s philosophical ideas, for instance when she defines the notion of a sacrifice as being only when we give up something of value. Her example that it is not a sacrifice for a woman to give up food to a child rather than for a hat is false in my view. I think that sacrifices occur in every act of giving something up for another human. I do agree with how she indicates that we must allow creativity and thinking to flourish. As a future teacher this is something I think must be encourages to flower in any democratic and liberated society for education. I also agree with a handful of other points she makes. Yet I personally feel that her major philosophy of objectivity is flawed to the point where I cannot agree. Her idea appears on the whole too materialistic. As she states:
“my philosophy, in essence, is the concept of man as a heroic being, with his own happiness as the moral purpose of his life, with productive achievement as his noblest activity, and reason as his only absolute.”
This thought is in contrast to many of my beliefs about humanity. I see humanity not as truly noble but more as a flawed being striving to become heroic, to earn salvation. How humans gain that salvation becomes the debate of religions in general. Curiously Rand’s philosophy appears highly selfish and self-serving, making man not the noble being she perceives but a hypocrite. I think she holds an ‘every man for himself’ mentality as he can fit into society. It is up to a man to find what happiness, what enjoyment he wants from life (which is why her characters, even her heroes prove unfaithful to their spouses and to themselves – again no noble characteristics). She also seems to push a message of ‘the wealthy deserve their wealth and no one deserves to use what products they produce.’ Ultimately if this is man’s ultimate aim it seems to me a shallow, egotistical end.
I do recommend reading this, despite its length, as it is an interesting read. Like Orwell and Huxley its great strength is in how it prompts the reader to consider the author’s messages. However unlike those other authors Rand tends far more toward preaching and using unnecessary words and thoughts. I’d never read a 60 page speech in any novel, and now I have. Yet there is an entertaining dystopian novel here which even if you dislike its ideas you may still find worth the read. And if you don’t there should be some reward for slogging through over 1100 pages of writing. ...more
The Kraken Wakes is probably the most different of John Wyndham's still read novels. Which perhaps helped me to recognise what makes him stand out in The Kraken Wakes is probably the most different of John Wyndham's still read novels. Which perhaps helped me to recognise what makes him stand out in the field of sci-fi. He's a brilliant combiner of elements of both horror and sci-fi to create a chillingly realistic novels with intelligent thoughts and ideas behind them. While he may take inspiration from Verne and Wells (he refers to them within his actual novels in clever metalinguistic intertextual devices) he writes works which are original in their entirety and fascinating. That said The Kraken Wakes is probably not the best place to begin reading any of Wyndham's novels. I'd start with The Chrysalids, The Midwich Cuckoos or The Day of the Triffids.
Perhaps the most surprising thing about this book for me is that there was no actual Kraken in it. At least the version I read. I read the blurb about fireballs falling into the oceans, ships disappearing and a world-wide catastrophe (John Wyndham loves those, he'd no doubt be writing a story about 2012 if he were still writing now) and thought: okay so extraterrestrial threat and a Kraken rising up and destroying civilisation, yes? Well actually the Kraken in the title was a metaphor for other things rising up out of the ocean. However despite this disappointment it was still a brilliant read that reminded me of a mix between Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea and (curiously) The White Mountains.
Either way I highly recommend that anyone interested in classic sci-fi read this novel. It has creatures rising up out of the ocean to battle land dwellers. It questions the control of government and its influence in the media and how it covers and conceals from its people. Is a government there for the people instead of the people there for the government? I strongly encourage this as an addition to the John Wyndham bookshelf shelf you sci-fi fans will now have to be building....more
The Midwich Cuckoos is part sci-fi and part horror story with a greater emphasis on the sci-fi elements. John Wyndham with this tale, in combination w The Midwich Cuckoos is part sci-fi and part horror story with a greater emphasis on the sci-fi elements. John Wyndham with this tale, in combination with The Day of the Triffids and The Chrysalids, has cemented a place on my list of all time great science fiction authors. His works are both entertaining, well written and enlightening. They are a complement to the reader and no doubt many later writers have been inspired by his contributions to writing whether they realise it or not.
The Midwich Cuckoos follows the extraordinary event that occurs in the small town of Midwich. On the 26th September to the following day a strange object causes the inhabitants of the village to fall unconscious and to wake a day later. After this strange event all the women in the village of a child-birthing age fall pregnant. Only it turns out the children birthed through these pregnancies are superior non-human entities. (view spoiler)[I loved how Wyndham alluded to the fact that husbands in the village threatened divorce upon their wives for being unfaithful. It added a sense of the comic to the book. (hide spoiler)]
Unfortunately I believe that, modern film makers being what they are, where this to be turned into a major film I can see the themes of this book being twisted to serve a kind of pro-abortion message. And I'm always against film makers turning a book into a propaganda machine in such a way. The book as it is has a much greater message. It analyses what it is to be human and the sanctity of human life. The Children born in Midwich are alien, outsiders and yet were still born the natural human way. In this way I believe Wyndham was creating an entertaining novel that questioned what it was that makes us human by comparing the people in his novel to the clearly alien Children. I'm not going to state what I think the answer is as seen in the novel or as I perceive it - I'll leave that to the readers to find out.
Any flaw in this book would be more to do with the dialogue or the fact that it came from a different era. However it still is a book entirely readable and relevant today. And conceptually Wyndham is brilliant, certainly up there with Wells in this type of classic sci-fi (he even refers brilliantly to Wells in his novel about aliens and how the Children are an invasion of another level - perhaps you could even take this book as Wyndham writing about the invasion of ideas and concepts like Soviet Communism at the time?) Either way this is a novel that deserves to be read now and by future generations....more
"We can't behave like people in novels though can we?"
The Age of Innocence focuses on Newland Archer and the period up to and after his marriage t "We can't behave like people in novels though can we?"
The Age of Innocence focuses on Newland Archer and the period up to and after his marriage to May Welland. Newland works in law and as part of his job is given the difficult task of trying to convince Countess Ellen Olenska to return to Europe to her foreign husband. The divide exists between his culture's expectations, the expectations of his soon to be family (Ellen is his fiancée's cousin) and the ideas he has about equality, freedom and what is right.
The writing in The Age of Innocence is superb. I've said it before but the volume of words is like treacle or syrup to me. The writing is poignant and sweet but the sentences are long and sticky: they get between your teeth. So if you like the style the writing, particularly the opening few chapters, is spectacular. But if you want more mundane classics or a less embroidered style then try something closer to Jane Austen.
The Age of Innocence is in many ways a social critique and for that very reason was somewhat controversial I believe. Mainly because it suggests that an affair or something like an affair takes place. And that the character of Newland finds this perfectly acceptable. However this event is phrased in such a way that one could take it as that the relationship in the book was believed by everyone else to be an affair. In which sense the book takes on a less sordid meaning. And in such a way Edith Wharton also makes her work less scandalous. However I do not want to look at the affair or whether there was one within the book. What I do want to mention is how Edith Wharton, as she did with Ethan Frome, writes a criticism of society.
Her criticism is found in how Ellen Olenska is shunned by society for her lack of etiquette and style; the fact that she wishes to become a divorced woman and that she married a foreign nobleman; and that she is an embarrassment to the 'proper way of life' in New York. Her family encourage her to return to her husband even though it is suggested that she was in some way abused by him more for the sake of propriety than because they care for her. And to achieve this end manipulation and deceit is involved. The whole premise of The Age of Innocence very much revolves around Newland discovering that the ideals he held as valuable do not hold so much value when they interfere with human lives. The fact that this society cares more for what is trendy or fashionable than what affects a person and do not care for those who fall into monetary issues makes them all hypocritical individuals. Wealthy and fashionable hypocrites but hypocrites nonetheless.
In fact what I liked so much about this novel apart from the characters and the writing was how Edith Wharton challenged those ideas of the society. She threw up the idea that perhaps it did not matter who was fashionable and whether it was 'proper' to talk to a certain individual but rather what was right should prevail. As a side note the whole issue of the possible affair is pervaded to as perhaps something that could be morally justified because Newland's love was different from any other man. A justification often used and hence in my view unjustifiable. Another side note is that Edith Wharton also questions whether women should have the same ability of men and that it is wrong to judge a woman who seeks independence. Fair enough I say - someone needed to voice such opinions.
Ultimately the idea that I captured the spirit of most was how the society of innocence never talked about what was improper or about indecencies like affairs. However anything improper was silently perceived and judged by the masses, hence it was an age of innocence in that no one appeared to be doing anything improper. However under the surface immorality was more rampant than it appeared. And hence Edith Wharton I believe challenges the idea of judging another individual's actions. Because perhaps it may turn out that your judgement is just as wrong as the actions undertaken by another. She also challenges a culture where deception is practiced underfoot and subtly accepted. Lies are no foundation for a society is an opinion that she implies.
I fully recommend that anyone interested in classic literature read this. I would also like to draw attention to the excellent adaptation which I saw a year or two ago and prompted me to read this in the future: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0106226/ I felt that the role of May Welland was done well by Winona Ryder and that Daniel Day Lewis performed well also as Newland. I think Michelle Pfeiffer did a decent job for what she had to act but I don't know if the character necessarily was owned by her... Either way this is a critique of the book and I merely recommend the film as a side interest. I would definitely challenge you to read this either way....more
Persuasion is my second Jane Austen novel after the brilliant piece of dry wit, storytelling and writing that is Pride and Prejudice. While I found thPersuasion is my second Jane Austen novel after the brilliant piece of dry wit, storytelling and writing that is Pride and Prejudice. While I found the writing beautiful ultimately my summation is that the story was far more serious and lacked the degree of wit and humour which provided warmth to Pride and Prejudice. In my eyes it lacked passion and character when compared to the previous work. However this is still a fine example of storytelling and is well crafted. As such I believe it is worthy of being considered as one of Austen’s classics.
The story follows one Anne Elliot and her family in love and -figuratively speaking - ‘war’. Anne once loved a certain Captain Wentworth years ago and was persuaded that because he lacked the money and fame he was an unsuitable match. At the time of the narration he returns with wealth and prestige – a man any woman would have considered worthy. However it appears that he no longer loves Anne and is looking for a far younger, more beautiful woman to be his wife. And so the story continues to unravel as Anne tries to understand which man is truly one she can love and be loved by.
While lacking the passion of Charlotte Bronte in Jane Eyre (I find Austen can be very dry which works when she applies herself to creating sarcasm or wit) the writing is still beautiful and highly descriptive. The novel is so elaborately constructed in fact that if you do not pay attention you could find that you’ve missed some of the poignancy of the detail. For detail appears to be everything in this work of fiction in allowing a full understanding of the story. This is not a story you can drift through or one which you can skip words; it is one which demands every word be meticulously enjoyed. That is part of its allure and part of the beauty of its construction. It is a methodically created work where every word distinguishes itself and proves the power and beauty of the English language in a living vibrant way.
Persuasion is a novel that I must persuade you to read. I fully recommend it, particularly if you are intending to read more Austen after having gone the usual route of Pride and Prejudice. I have admitted that it lacks the wit of Pride and Prejudice but the romance, the craftsmanship and the detail is all still to be found in Persuasion. And I therefore must recommend it. ...more
The Broken Sword is a imagined mythology by Poul Anderson in the Norse style. It features poetry and adopts the style of the Norse myths I loved as a The Broken Sword is a imagined mythology by Poul Anderson in the Norse style. It features poetry and adopts the style of the Norse myths I loved as a child. For that very reason I give it a four star rating and only because of the tragic nature of its plot do I avoid giving it the full five stars.
This is an excellent introduction for anyone interested in looking at the style of Norse mythology. I admit it's not perfect but Anderson apes the traditional Norse style very well while also creating an intriguing story.
The story follows Scafloc as he grows up as the foster child of elves, and his changeling Valgard who has taken Scafloc's identity in his true human family. The story seems doomed to be a tragedy from the outset and does not disappoint in that regard. What follows is however also a unique new Norse style myth featuring a few extra characters such as Irish gods and even a faun. (Of course I think it needed the gods to be involved more - lazy blokes that they are). There was also an interesting minor subplot involving the conflict between Christianity and paganism/faerie which naturally interested me.
I fully recommend this as a book to read if you don't mind a heavy Norse mythological style tragedy (it's a great and nobler genre - okay I confess that I may be stretching the truth a little there). Either way it's a good fantasy novel worth to be considered a classic. I won't be coming back to this in a hurry although I am now interested in seeing if Poul Anderson wrote any even better novels....more
Where Pride and Prejudice is witty and contains an elaborate plot and brilliant characters Emma's strength's lie in its critique of its character's ac Where Pride and Prejudice is witty and contains an elaborate plot and brilliant characters Emma's strength's lie in its critique of its character's actions. In that way while it is a very different story it is no weaker than Austen's more famous story. The writing, as is usual for a Jane Austen' novel, is rich and exquisite and the plot does not fail to disappoint either. The few flaws of the novel are perhaps in its pacing but that aside this is a very well developed novel and worthy of living on the shelving space of the classic.
The titular character, Emma Woodhouse, lives with her father and spends much of her time playing as a matchmaker. While she has no desire to marry at the story's opening she does intend to find her friend Harriet Smith a suitable husband. Although the reader soon observes that Emma in her matchmaking is no good friend but rather a selfish and vain woman who delights in seeing that everything is ordered according to her own desire and whim. And as a result Emma almost misses what was right in front of her all along.
What I find particularly interesting about the premise is how Austen portrays the apparent social need for a woman to be married. This is particularly interesting because of the fact that Austen herself defied convention in writing her novels. Women in her era were not meant to be so independent and they were certainly not encouraged to write stories. Although I believe her father may have encourage it but don't quote me on that yet I would have to do more research on Austen herself. But what I do observe is that while in Pride and Prejudice Austen creates a highly independent woman in Elizabeth Bennett in Emma she appears more to subtly comment on the role of women in her society. In particular the idea of how women were 'supposed' to marry in order to fulfil their purpose.
This is a highly interesting story although I believe the first half was stronger and certainly more enthralling. However Austen's prose is strong throughout the novel and certainly serves to create a wonderful set of characters and a setting. In many ways Austen's novel here is like an elaborate play with everything tying together neatly by the end....more
I have now concluded another of the grand pantheon of the classics of the dystopian genre. It is no mere clone of the other works, although incidental I have now concluded another of the grand pantheon of the classics of the dystopian genre. It is no mere clone of the other works, although incidentally it does feature cloning within its story. I would place this on the same level as 1984 in terms of the ideas conveyed within. However I would also say that it completely stands alone as its own creation. It perhaps has less solidity and depth and the words are less lyrical and poetic than Orwell's. That said I was blown away at several key moments in this book. As far as my journeys in the dystopian genre go if you're trying it out 1984 and Brave New World are your first stops. Closely accompanied by Fahrenheit 451.
"'Human beings used to be...' he hesitated; the blood rushed to his cheeks. 'Well they used to be viviparous.'"
The plot follows Bernard Marx originally in a world where everything from people to lifestyle has become a product of the government. Children are no longer born (except in the few refuges where savages or Indians live - is this Huxley's way of making reference to the racial tensions of his era?) they are produced and they are brainwashed by the government in every inch of their lives. From being told that "everyone is everyone else's" to being told about their privilege as a member of their particular caste individuals undergo hypnopaedia or sleep teaching at an early age to condition them to fit into this manufactured society.
"'Talking about her as if she were a bit of meat.' Bernard ground his teeth. 'Have her here, have her there. Like mutton. Degrading her to so much mutton..."
Bernard Marx is one individual who recognises his conditioning and as such does not feel at ease in his falsified world. In this way he reminds in a way of Jay Gatsby from The Great Gatsby as a man also trapped by the expectations of his strange environment. Yet Marx (interesting choice of a name considering the rise of Marxist principles at the time) feels that he can do little about it. Instead he falls into line with the debauchery of life as it stands. For when sex no longer is about reproduction in this society it becomes instead a careless act for these people. They 'have' who they want as everyone belongs to everyone else (a creed reminiscent of the rules of the Party in 1984) and this eroticism is encouraged from the age of childhood an idea appalling to any sensible individual.
"No, the real problem is: How is it that I can't, or rather - because, after all, I know quite well why I can't - what would it be like if I could, if I were free - not enslaved by my conditioning."
Into this environment Bernard brings a 'savage' (a young man taught the ideal of commitment in marriage and of family through mother and father). From then on the reader is left to observe what happens as he with his limited understanding of the world - seen though the forbidden works of Shakespeare - tries to understand what life holds for him in such a gluttonously lustful culture. (view spoiler)[Ultimately he does find the world hopelessly depressing and we are left to witness his sad ending when the Controller of this industrial world tells him the truth in a truly memorable and moving scene. (hide spoiler)]
"Nay but to live In the rank sweat of an enseamed bed, Stew'd in corruption, honeying and making love Over the nasty sty..."
The writing of Huxley may not match the poetic lyricism of George Orwell - and Brave New World may not be the best written novel of all time - but it is still solid writing. My favourite chapter was probably the third when Huxley chose to use a variety of quick, short, sharp sentences and phrases as paragraphs to create a flow of thoughts. It read very much like an onslaught of clashing advertising ideas and really struck home the idea of conditioning for me. Normally such use of words proves gimmicky but somehow Huxley succeeded in channelling meaning through such a barrage of confusing statements.
"'But I don't want comfort. I want God, I want poetry, I want real danger, I want freedom, I want goodness. I want sin."
The real power of Huxley's work is not in his choice of words but in how he manages to convey so many ideas in such a brief amount of time (only a little over 200 pages). There are so many themes resonant within this book from: the need of humans to manipulate environments to the idea of how morality, commitment and sexuality are linked. Then there is the desire of humans to escape the natural programming we live under and the controversial topic of genetic manipulation and whether we as humans really have the right to mess with life at the level of embryos and foetuses. And that is only a handful of the ideas within this novel. Like Franz Kafka in The Metamorphosis Huxley creates a novel full of ambiguity and obvious ideas which enables the reader to take away what they wish. It is truly a powerful classic in that regard.
"'O Brave new world that has such people in it."
Again as with 1984, the story of Brave New World is linked to other events and textual ideas. The title was itself taken from The Tempest (one of the classic Shakespeare plays I am yet to read but may soon). The title was as such a curious foreshadowing of how Shakespearian texts are used intertextually in Brave New World. Where 1984 was linked to the 'threat' of Communism however, Brave New World is Fordism taken to its most extreme level along with the ideas of Freud. There was an almost religious connection to those two figures where they were called Our Ford or Our Freud. The thought was that the commercialisation techniques created by Ford could be taken too far and be applied to human lives. The other thought was that the psychological techniques of Freud and in particular his idea that human beings are carnal creatures could be taken too far. Considering that he was writing when these were new and now wholly trusted ideas his work is profound and also almost reads as a judgement against the 'immorality' of the rolling 20s when lifestyles were more carefree. It was this era which led to the Great Depression in many ways and perhaps Huxley was writing an indictment of the selfish lifestyles which triggered such a catastrophe.
Ultimately for a book that is designed to be uncomfortable and dark Brave New World is a fascinating novel. Its links with history, psychology and philosophy lift it from fascinating to insightful and its message raises it further again. This is a true classic: dark and profoundly inspired. In many ways its message is prophetic reaching out across time to make us question how we are conditioned by our world and how we turn life into a consumer's market....more
Having recently read John Wyndham's famous novel The Day of the Triffids, which is known more for the film adaptations, I decided to read another of W Having recently read John Wyndham's famous novel The Day of the Triffids, which is known more for the film adaptations, I decided to read another of Wyndham's books. The result left me very satisfied and I must conclude that Wyndham now holds a place on my (imaginary) bookshelf of favourite classic sci-fi authors alongside Wells, Asimov and Verne to name a few.
The idea of The Chrysalids is simple but executed extremely well. As a result The Chrysalids is a complement to the aesthetic as well as to the mental senses of the reader. This is what I believe Wyndham excels at doing like Wells, creating compulsive and entertaining science fiction which is as readable as it is intelligent and questioning. Like all great novels this book ties to both the past, the present and the future of its readership and humanity.
The plot follows one adolescent boy, David, growing up in a kind of post-apocalyptic world where an event named 'the Tribulation' has occurred. It becomes clear that this 'Tribulation' has affected the genetic make up of the population of the world. The very name of this event reveals another side to the story, a strict legalistic form of Christian religion has formed a new kind of community. In this community mutation is intolerable, a 'deviation' from man as the 'true image' of God. Of course the protagonist David recognises the fallacy of viewing mutants as inhuman:
"Well, every part of a definition is as important as any other; and if a child doesn't come within it, then it isn't human, and that means it doesn't have a soul. It is not the image of God, it is an imitation, and in the imitations there is always some mistake. Only God produces perfection, so although deviations may look like us in many ways, they cannot be really human. They are something quite different." I thought that over. "But Sophie isn't really different - not in any other way," I told him.
As it turns out David is himself a 'deviation', one of those 'sent by the devil' to test the true images. He, and a small group of his friends in the community, can communicate via telepathy. Of course no one can tell visibly that they are 'non-human' and so they remain hidden. That is until one of their number decides to marry a deviation-hating 'norm'.
The issues this novel tackles are broad and far reaching. It is both a challenge to strict Pharisaic religion, which does not heed the true message of its source, and a tale about humanity. It questions what it is to be human: whether it is about appearance or about deeper, underlying issues. And as part of challenging what it is to be human it challenges how we alienate and accept others as alien and non-human: whether that be on race, gender, sexuality, religion, age or so on. The voice of the narrator, the protagonist is perfect for allowing the writer to speak on these issues. Take the following quote for example: "'Oh,' I said, vaguely but safely. It was odd, I felt, how many people seemed to have positive, if conflicting, information upon God's views."
Ultimately though this book was written years ago I believe it applies to today as an excellent novel we can learn from. I would encourage anyone to make sure that they read this book at least once. It may not necessarily be the best written of John Wyndham's books but it is one that challenges issues still relevant to our present and future....more
Titus Groan is a novel that defies classification yet it is one hundred percent powerfully written and one hundred percent a classic. It is however no Titus Groan is a novel that defies classification yet it is one hundred percent powerfully written and one hundred percent a classic. It is however not for those who don't like to patiently sit through a long, description driven narrative. But for those who appreciate those elements in a work of fiction or perhaps those who found the unique ideas of The Trial interesting I strongly recommend this novel.
The best genre that I could possibly associate this with is fantasy. However it is also a novel focused around the magnificent and brooding setting of the castle Gormenghast. Therefore the atmosphere Mervyn Peake creates with his deliberate word choice also associates this novel with the Gothic genre. Yet it does not entirely sit as a Gothic. It does however sit inside the group of excellent novels.
The writing is what makes this such an endearing work to me. Peake uses metaphors with precision and with wit, genuinely creating situations where I as a reader were unsure whether he was being naturally brilliant or planned everything to fall into place perfectly. Take this writing from the text for example:"She appeared rather to inhabit, than to wear her clothes." I have to also note that in his writing Peake is exceptionally gifted in the art of disassociation. That is he can take one idea, add another unrelated idea, and create a sentence that through disassociating from the main idea actually further draws out the truth of the main concept. A writer skilled at this should be able to take a noun like stone, add an adjective like wooden and create a sentence focused around the 'wooden stone' that reveals what a stone really is. Take this as another example: "And there shall be a flame-green daybreak soon." There was also a fascinating period where Peake effortlessly moved from past to present tense while still making sense in the novel and where he chose to use a stream-of-consciousness manner it was written brilliantly. I personally wondered how on earth he could write so perfectly with such ease.
The plot feels like it is all leading to the second novel yet Titus Groan stands alone as a narrative. It follows the birth of one Titus Groan and the ceremonies involved in initiating him as the next Earl of Groan, ruler of Gormenghast. Associated with this the reader can observe a set of characters so unique that they are instantly fascinating. Take Steerpike, or Dr Prunesquallor and Fuchsia to whom even the Groans pale at times in significance.
Gormenghast becomes an object in this novel that naturally exists. It is because of this castle that Titus Groan feels like part-fantasy, part-Gothic tale and part historic narrative. The castle is something that feels like it has always been there, something out of time. Peake truly knows how to show rather than tell his readers that fact. He also suggests that his characters are as much a part of the castle as the castle is part of the landscape which is fascinating.
The negative for some readers is that this is a slow novel. As a result some may very well find this a 'boring old classic.' At times not much seemed to happen while reading it but by the end I felt that it was such a unique and wonderful novel. The only books it brings vague comparisons to for me are: Complete Stories and Poems, Alice in Wonderland, The Lord of the Rings and as mentioned before Kafka's work in The Trial. It had the intrigue of Poe and the beauty of writing but Poe is less about the detail and more about lyricism, it had the whimsy of Lewis Caeroll but not the magic, it had the denseness of Tolkien but not the same world building element or focus on various languages and it had the psychological element of Kafka yet it was not Kafka. This is a unique and unparalleled novel in my view.
What was more fascinating to me even was the foreword by Anthony Burgess in the edition I read. It provided further insights into how unique the novel is. I will certainly read the next book and likely the third in due course. I do also encourage that others read this novel: it is not an easy read by any stretch of the imagination, the text as rich and dense as it is but it is a novel that you will finish and envy the ability of the author. And not only that, it should also be a satisfactory experience if you find any interest in enjoying fine prose and other literary elements of a novel....more
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