Sunday, January 10, 2016

The Bone Clocks

This morning I finished, sadly, the best book I've read in a very long time: 
David Mitchell's The Bone Clocks. 

It was astonishing, brilliant... awesome, in the true meaning of that word.

If you are at all interested in speculative fiction, you should read it. As soon as possible!






I want to quote a paragraph which I find myself thinking about repeatedly.

The book's events begin in 1984, and end in 2043. One of the main characters (I won't tell you the character's name, as I don't want to risk any spoilers), says this in October 2043:

(I felt) "grief for the regions we deadlanded, the ice caps we melted, the Gulf Stream we redirected, the rivers we drained, the coasts we flooded, the lakes we choked with crap, the seas we killed, the species we drove to extinction, the pollinators we wiped out, the oil we squandered, the drugs we rendered impotent, the comforting liars we voted into office - all so that we didn't have to change our cosy lifestyles... 
My generation were diners stuffing ourselves senseless at the Restaurant of the Earth's Riches knowing - while denying - that we'd be doing a runner and leaving our grandchildren a tab that can never be paid."


In spite of what I have quoted here, this book is not a diatribe or polemical. It's a 
wonderful, gripping story, written by an extremely gifted author.

13 comments:

  1. Drat you. And thank you.
    I have seen this, and thought that I would get to it. Later. When my unread tower reached reasonable proportions.
    And that paragraph has just moved it into the must read soon category.

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    Replies
    1. I would like to know what you think when you do read it, EC.

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  2. Read this awhile ago.. Got it from Barnes and Noble who happened to have signed copies...anyway, the cover u posted is different- more updated? I enjoyed the book, it definitely held my attention! :-)

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    Replies
    1. We usually get the UK covers here. Glad you enjoyed it too.

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  3. OK I will have to read it. I haven't been great at reading books since I became an internet junkie.

    P.S. I saw the movie "Spotlight" on Saturday. Highly recommend!
    ~

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Spotlight's not out here yet, thunder, although when I checked just now it said 'coming in January'. It's summer holidays here now so the theatres are full of kids' movies. Thanks for the recommendation - it sounds good.

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  4. I've been eyeing Bone Clocks. I bounced off of Cloud Atlas, despite respecting its scope and all the bending Mitchell put his prose through. Do you think this would be a better introduction to his work?

    Also yeah, Spotlight is a very good movie.

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    Replies
    1. I had trouble reading Cloud Atlas, John. Went back to it after I'd seen the movie - this one is much better, I think.

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  5. Well, now I have another to find and read. Thank you.

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  6. A great review indeed, and I might just add that to my reading list. Warm greetings!

    ReplyDelete
  7. I've been eyeing Bone Clocks. I bounced off of Cloud Atlas, despite respecting its scope and all the bending Mitchell put his prose through.
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