Triangulation

by Phil Whitaker

John Hopkins, a retired English mapmaker, travels into his past in search of his former roommate, explorer Laurance Wallace, and the woman they both once loved, Helen Gardner, when a long undelivered letter finds its way back into his life.

Genres: Fiction

272 pages, Hardcover

First published March 13, 1999

Reviews

[Allan Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

An evocative book, which I read quickly but found frustrating. The central character does not develop at all, the same introverted, selfish and utterly un-empathetic stiff-upper-lipped English twit from beginning to end. The rest is interesting but quite unconvincing. Ultimately a sad tale of a declining England and its victims.

[Dennis · Rating 3 out of 5]

The title "Triangulation" refers to an archaic map-making technique (long since replaced with more modern tools and especially the advent of computers) but as can be easily guessed from the cover, it also refers to a sort of triangle between two men and one woman. (As usual since rarely are there books about triangles between one man and two women.) The principal character, John Hopkins, is a passionless archivist for the British government's mapping agency, his roommate, Laurance, is a field surveyor in an unspecified African country, and the woman, Helen, a Northern small-town girl looking to break out from her old way of life and use her artistic skills. She starts dating John but is attracted through Laurance's letters to something more. There is little direct passion in the book, nothing steamy, and it all felt a bit remote to me as John never really opens up and develops any sort of passion for anything; he seems more ready to settle for a government clerking job for life, a peck-on-the-cheek proper London suburban wife and family and little else. Helen wants more and Laurance is living life on the edge. So what is interesting about the book, if anything? There's a historical context here as the book is set in the late 50's and early 60´s, as the British colonial empire begins to crumble in Africa; this is why Laurance is in Africa, mapping the country for further development under the guise of transformation to democracy. Of course, the Africans were buying none of this; revolution was in the air - the Mau Mau Rebellions get a mention here - while the government fretted, as told in various newspaper fragments. This is perhaps the biggest appeal of the book, an historical one, since the romance is pretty routine, as triangles go.

[Jayne Charles · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unusual subjects covered with tremendous skill in this novel of cartography which alternates between London and East Africa. Characters were beautifully drawn – particularly the rather stuffy John who works in a now defunct Government department shuffling maps around. You’re never totally sure what direction it is heading in, though the title is a broad hint, and it keeps its secrets admirably right to the very end. It reminded me a little of “The Remains of the Day”.

Stunning depictions of the African plain where one of the characters is engaged in the legwork of creating maps, as well as the technicalities of cartography itself. Helen hated being a junior cartographer but I thought it sounded fab.

[Ian Durant · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ponderous, dull and pedantic - this is how I felt about the main character and I felt is rubbed off on the book. Homage to the Directorate of Overseas Surveys, yes, but the ponderous plot seemed to take over. The author is a good writer but i would encourage him to let go and show some of his flair next time!

[Vikas Datta · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite a hauntingly lyrical read about the end of empire, the loss of innocence and the romance of maps... And the whimsical format also makes for a poignant charm

[Pgchuis · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story of John Hopkins, who has worked for the international section of Ordnance Survey all his adult life, first as part of the civil service, mapping the "empire" (in the late 1950s) and then as a commercial enterprise as the empire became the Commonwealth. There are two main periods of time: the present (1996) and the past (1957-62). In the earlier period John shares a flat with Laurance, an overseas surveyor for the same civil service department, who spends 10 months out of every 12 in Africa. John tries, largely unsuccessfully, to date Helen, who eventually elopes to Africa with Laurance.

In the present, John, who has never been abroad and has rarely left the south of England, travels to Lancashire, a trip involving four different trains and a bus, to visit Helen and ponders their shared past. Their shared story is revealed through John and Helen's memories and through letters and memos that John has kept.

I enjoyed this novel very much. In a similar way to Whitaker's "Eclipse of the Sun", John's character is gradually, subtly and ultimately very clearly revealed through his narration. Despite his limitations and flaws (and the appalling cheating at cricket admission) I sympathized with him. Helen's character was less successfully drawn: to me she seems at first immature and then just colourless really. I enjoyed the idea that John would marry his secretary. Laurance's letters were written in a distinct voice and he was a likeable character, although again morally lacking in some ways (although I don't think he would have cheated at cricket!).

The description of the work of the Ordnance Survey and of cartography in general was very interesting, as was the depiction of the struggle for independence of African countries. I'm not sure if T--- was supposed to be a thinly veiled actual country; I don't know enough about that era. Medicine's dilemma was well described.

My only criticism is that the parts set in 1957-62 were not always laid out in chronological order, which was unnecessarily confusing and led to repetition at least once.