Aftershocks

by A.N. Wilson

A stunning, powerfully moving novel of faith and humanity, temptation and transgression from literary tour de force, A.N. Wilson.

On The Island, just as on many other islands, marriages are unhappy, people fall in love and the seasons pass. The town of Aberdeen is no different, until the earthquakes. These seismic ripples tear down houses, forge bonds, and shake the foundations of humanity and religion. And in the midst of it all, Nellie and Ingrid fall in love.

In Aftershocks A. N. Wilson offers a portrait of nature, death and morality. Moved by the real losses of the Christchurch earthquake, this is an extraordinary novel about a community profoundly linked to the land it lives on.

Genres: Fiction, Novels

288 pages, Hardcover

Published September 1, 2018

About the author

Andrew Norman Wilson is an English writer and newspaper columnist, known for his critical biographies, novels, works of popular history and religious views. He is an occasional columnist for the Daily Mail and former columnist for the London Evening Standard, and has been an occasional contributor to the Times Literary Supplement, New Statesman, The Spectator and The Observer.

Reviews

[Nick Davies · Rating 3 out of 5]

Two and a half stars - probably two if it was just a subjective assessment of how much I struggled to enjoy this, but perhaps three with the acknowledgment that the writing was in places impressive and beautiful, and I warmed to the novel a little towards the end.

This book concerns the residents of an antipodean city, and how an earthquake has significant impact on the lives of those affected. The author was inspired by the real life Christchurch quake, but here is so determined to show that this novel is not set in New Zealand that he resorts to an excess of world building. This, in conjunction with a heavy focus on biographical details of his main characters, it made for a stodgy and confusing first half of the book, with too little happening for my liking. It improved in the second half as and after the earthquakes occur, but even then I was left with the feeling that the wrong characters had been focussed on. I would have been far more interested in some of the residents to whom more significant events occurred, but the story seemed to lean heavily on two or three wishy waahy, pretentious (yadda yadda, literature, classics, religion) and sometimes hard to delineate female characters.

[Jo · Rating 2 out of 5]

The story takes place on a fictional island inspired by New Zealand in the aftermath of an earthquake. I wanted to like this, thought it might be quirky, but I couldn't really get on with the writing style. I found myself irritated by the narrator most of the time.

[scarlettraces]

Yeah, it reads like it was based on 3 weeks in NZ. Possibly would have kept reading if Wilson hadn't kept so close to NZ's actual history - swapping out Kiwi (real, not extinct) for Huia (real, extinct) does not count - although probably not, even in the first chapter I found myself suspending too much belief for comfort. Is that really how the academic young talk now? We used those language constructs at university in the 90s...

[Anne Goodwin · Rating 3 out of 5]

When the first quake causes little damage, the Mayor isn’t the only one who’s complacent. But the city’s Green MP foresees tragedy ahead. Meanwhile, ordinary life continues: people have affairs, or avoid them; others find love where they didn’t expect it to be.
Full review
Shatterings from soil and sky: Aftershocks & Nightingale Point https://annegoodwin.weebly.com/1/post...

[Artie LeBlanc · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first half of this was really a slog - if I hadn't known the author, I would have given up. The second half more or less redeeemed it; but I didn't care for the device of the narrator, and the tricksy plotting.

[Gill · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is not a book to relax with and before embarking on it, you need a basic understanding of both Greek myths and the Anglican communion. Set around an earthquake, it could be a comment on the present upheavals in the church and the end of the freedoms enshrined within its structures over the years.....

[Theediscerning · Rating 3 out of 5]

A book that has some strong merits, but gives them up most cussedly.

Please see the full detail review at:-

http://www.thebookbag.co.uk/reviews/i...

[Mairead · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not for me

[A Goldfish47 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Looking at other reviews I think that I might have read a different book. I found the devices used pleasing and the character developments and plotting just pulled me along. I enjoyed it

[Derek Webb · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was really looking forward to this, but I found it tedious in the extreme, with the story punctuated by AN Wilson wanting to tell the reader how very erudite and clever he is.

[Craig Brown · Rating 2 out of 5]

The first 60 pages felt like a word-soup of intellectual snobbery. The author is considerably better read than I am and, therefore, the opening of the book was something of a chore trying to dissect all the literary references. The intrusion of the narrator's interjections also served as a slight irritation. However, perseverance was rewarded with a story that was rich with characters and heart.