Joseph鈥檚 Year in Books

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2024

11,526

pages read

books read

Joseph

Shortest Book

pages

Longest Book

597

pages

Average book length in 2024

245

pages

Most Shelved

257,932

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Joseph鈥檚 average rating for 2024

4.0

really liked it

4.0

Highest Rated on 欧宝娱乐

it was amazing

5.00 average

Joseph鈥檚 first review of the year

really liked it

After Melmoth, her masterpiece of 鈥渢heological Gothic鈥�, Sarah Perry returns with Enlightenment, a novel which is, I would say, more 鈥渢heological鈥� than 鈥淕othic鈥�. The key character of Perry鈥檚 latest work is one Thomas Hart, a newspaper columnist from the Essex town of Aldleigh. Thomas seems a man of another age, always impeccably 鈥� if old-fashionedly 鈥� dressed. His writing style and choice of subject matter is also quite anachronistic, which is pos After Melmoth, her masterpiece of 鈥渢heological Gothic鈥�, Sarah Perry returns with Enlightenment, a novel which is, I would say, more 鈥渢heological鈥� than 鈥淕othic鈥�. The key character of Perry鈥檚 latest work is one Thomas Hart, a newspaper columnist from the Essex town of Aldleigh. Thomas seems a man of another age, always impeccably 鈥� if old-fashionedly 鈥� dressed. His writing style and choice of subject matter is also quite anachronistic, which is possibly why the newspaper editor encourages him to consider 鈥渢he moon鈥� as a potential new subject for his column. From this unlikely suggestion, Thomas develops a fascination with astronomy and, parallelly, an obsession with the mysterious figure of Maria Veduva, a 19th century astronomer who lived in Aldleigh until she, seemingly, disappeared without a trace while on the cusp of a major discovery.

Thomas worships at the Bethesda chapel in the town, a community of strict Baptists who try to lead a life detached from the modern world. But it is no spoiler (it is a fact revealed early on in the novel) that Thomas is a closet homosexual, who indulges in occasional same-sex dalliances in the city. He effectively leads a double life : 鈥渋n Bethesda ... the worst of sinners, and in London the strangest of saints鈥�.

One of the reasons drawing Thomas back to Bethesda is Grace Macauley, the daughter of the community鈥檚 preacher, orphaned of her mother who died at her birth. Thomas acts as a sort of godfather to Grace, and feels responsible for ensuring that, through him, she sees enough of the outside world to enable to survive outside the rigid yet protective boundaries of her community.

Enlightenment is divided into three parts set in different years, roughly at intervals of a decade: 1997, 2008 and 2018. The passage of time shows us both Thomas and Grace growing up (or growing old), both yearning for the simpler life of Bethesda as they are unsettled by unexpected attractions 鈥� Grace is drawn to Nathan, a boy of her age from outside the Baptist community, whereas Thomas develops a crush on James Bower, the curator of the local museum, with whom he investigates the shadowy history of Maria Veduva. Throughout, the heavens act as a real and metaphorical backdrop to the story, a poetical lens through which to read the themes of the book.

Enlightenment left me in two minds, at times in awe of its brilliance, at others frustrated by its quirks. What is most mystifying is that these elements are often the two sides of the same coin.

So let me start with some things I liked about the novel. First and foremost, I loved the fact that Perry tackles religious subjects head on. 鈥淩eligion鈥� is not simply a quaint plot-driver for her. The novel is a theological one which grapples with such themes as God, faith, doubt, sin, forgiveness, suffering, redemption, love. Outside of the 鈥淐hristian fiction鈥� market I cannot think of many major contemporary novelists who make of theology a focal point of their work.

Another element I liked in the novel is that, in what is ultimately a 鈥渘ovel of ideas鈥�, Perry has no qualms about including elements of genre fiction. The Maria Veduva thread provides opportunities for mystery, suspense and even a touch of the Gothic (particularly in Maria鈥檚 ghostly figure, which accompanies Thomas like a guide). My disappointment here lies in the fact that the development of this narrative sometimes seems rather half-hearted and in certain respects unconvincing.

In a novel, I like an original narrative voice. Enlightenment certainly provides one although it needs some getting used to. The novel, in fact, is written in a style with a Biblical and Victorian ring to it. I found this perplexing at the start, until I realised that this is meant to evoke the pen of Thomas Hart 鈥� his newspaper columns are interwoven into the text, and the novel itself is, possibly, the work he is shown to be working on in his final years. The problem is that the style of old-fashioned Thomas Hart, while giving the novel its unique flavour, can become heavygoing, which is an issue in what is a longish book.

To sum up, I feel conflicted about this book. One part of me considers this a great work 鈥� a haunting story with interesting characters, a major literary effort exploring big existential themes. Another part of me found some aspects of the novel rather artificial, as if one could glimpse the machinery in action behind the facade. I would still recommend it, but be warned that it is something of an acquired taste.

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闯翱厂贰笔贬鈥橲 2024 BOOKS

Le cose che abbiamo perso nel fuoco by Mariana Enr铆quez

The Miracle Detective by Randall Sullivan

it was amazing

Ci vediamo in agosto by Gabriel Garc铆a M谩rquez

The Devil's Best Trick by Randall Sullivan

And He Shall Appear by Kate van der Borgh

it was amazing

it was amazing

A Sunny Place for Shady People by Mariana Enr铆quez

it was amazing

Id-Djarju tan-Nannu 膴ikk u n-Na偶isti jie魔du Malta by Toni Abela

Filli ma tcun xein, filli tithol fl'esistenza jew Marzu, Apri... by Immanuel Mifsud

really liked it

L-Antolo摹ija tal-Letteratura Mqarba by Mark Camilleri

The Watkins Book of Urban Legends by Gail De Vos

The Stones of Muncaster Cathedral by Robert Westall

really liked it

Joseph鈥檚 last review of the year

really liked it

In her debut novel(la) The End We Start From, recently turned into a movie, Megan Hunter gave her personal poetic twist to the post-apocalyptic genre, imagining a near-future where waters are inexplicably rising, laying waste to towns and cities. In her second novel, The Harpy, Hunter ventured into 鈥渄omestic thriller鈥� territory, with a feminist tale about motherhood and patriarchy, laced with mythical elements and more than a twist of horror.

At f ...more

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