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The Snow Trilogy #2
The Gentle Art Of Forgetting
What you don’t remember can’t hurt you.
A thirty-year-old woman called Jane Dawn wakes in a hut surrounded by a snow-covered forest.
She remembers nothing apart from her name, but strange echoes flicker about her mind; that once she flew, time was out of joint, and how she may be responsible for something terrible.
Jane is not alone, and the person with her knows far more than they are letting on.
The answers to the mystery of Jane's curious life will be found over many decades in this story of love, loss, memories, and mortality.
The three “Snow Trilogy” books make up a trilogy with no beginning, middle or end. The stories can be read in any order you choose, but are all connected. Themes and ideas re-occur across the novels, characters re-appear in different ways. The 22nd of December is a crucial date and all three feature a strange box that is the key to secrets.
So, as you will discover, "The Gentle Art Of Forgetting" is neither a prequel to, nor sequel of the others. It is, in fact, both and neither. But what that means will only become clear once you’ve read the entire trilogy.
So come with Jane Dawn as she tries to remember who she is and finds out there may, after all, be a gentle art of forgetting…
A thirty-year-old woman called Jane Dawn wakes in a hut surrounded by a snow-covered forest.
She remembers nothing apart from her name, but strange echoes flicker about her mind; that once she flew, time was out of joint, and how she may be responsible for something terrible.
Jane is not alone, and the person with her knows far more than they are letting on.
The answers to the mystery of Jane's curious life will be found over many decades in this story of love, loss, memories, and mortality.
The three “Snow Trilogy” books make up a trilogy with no beginning, middle or end. The stories can be read in any order you choose, but are all connected. Themes and ideas re-occur across the novels, characters re-appear in different ways. The 22nd of December is a crucial date and all three feature a strange box that is the key to secrets.
So, as you will discover, "The Gentle Art Of Forgetting" is neither a prequel to, nor sequel of the others. It is, in fact, both and neither. But what that means will only become clear once you’ve read the entire trilogy.
So come with Jane Dawn as she tries to remember who she is and finds out there may, after all, be a gentle art of forgetting…
- GenresFiction
323 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 22, 2019
28 people are currently reading
67 people want to read
About the author
Richard Easter
6 books14 followersI was born in a blackout, in a blizzard, by candlelight.
This is true, although it sounds like I've made it up for purposes of authenticity.
My birth took place in my Mum and Dad's bedroom in Great Wakering, which is the last point of mainland Essex, around 40 miles from London, if that helps with locating it.
I mention so much detail about my birth because I have, of course, gone on to write a trilogy of books about snow. Admittedly, I did this over 4 decades since the event, but I blame delayed shock.
Fast forward through the usual primary school / secondary school/sixth form shennanigans (I never made it to University) and ended up by accident at BBC Radio One after dressing as a girl and infiltrating a Ladies' toilet in an Essex nightclub.
This sounds way more perverse than it should do - I was, in fact, writing an article on "What Women Talk About When Men Aren't Around". I didn't get killed, a Radio One DJ saw the article and I ended up working as the runner there at the age of 19. By accident, I started writing for one of their most popular shows, "Steve Wright In The Afternoon" and that led me on to professional writing full time. So to sum up - I love music and snow, and hence I write about both. Often at the same time.
This is true, although it sounds like I've made it up for purposes of authenticity.
My birth took place in my Mum and Dad's bedroom in Great Wakering, which is the last point of mainland Essex, around 40 miles from London, if that helps with locating it.
I mention so much detail about my birth because I have, of course, gone on to write a trilogy of books about snow. Admittedly, I did this over 4 decades since the event, but I blame delayed shock.
Fast forward through the usual primary school / secondary school/sixth form shennanigans (I never made it to University) and ended up by accident at BBC Radio One after dressing as a girl and infiltrating a Ladies' toilet in an Essex nightclub.
This sounds way more perverse than it should do - I was, in fact, writing an article on "What Women Talk About When Men Aren't Around". I didn't get killed, a Radio One DJ saw the article and I ended up working as the runner there at the age of 19. By accident, I started writing for one of their most popular shows, "Steve Wright In The Afternoon" and that led me on to professional writing full time. So to sum up - I love music and snow, and hence I write about both. Often at the same time.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
July 6, 2020
I was going to reread this book before writing a review. I still plan to reread it and may add a P.S. to the review at that time. But I want to go ahead and get my thoughts down before I forget too many details of the book. There are advantages and disadvantages to having a poor memory - actually, my theory is that after 67 years on this planet, my brain is so full it rejects new material. It would be nice if it ejected some of those traumatic childhood memories to make room for the details of books and movies I enjoy. Interesting that before I even start discussing the book, I am talking about memory and forgetting.
This novel is different. Strange, weird - yes, but in a good way. There is a narrator who calls himself/herself Context. The story is the opposite of linear. The reader is given bits and pieces of the narrative, some of which fit immediately, some seem unrelated but Context assures us that eventually we will understand - and we do. I want to reread this book with the knowledge of how everything fits together and see what I think of it then. Right now, my only complaint is I feel the sections devoted to Here drag on a bit. Yes, that is Here with a capital H. Read the book. You'll see.
This book, like the previous Richard Easter book I read, The General Theory Of Haunting, concerns itself with life and death and what happens after. The books are related but not sequels. They have some of the themes and a couple of characters in common. The author has a third book that is also related to these two books which should be published soon. I am looking forward to reading it.
This novel is different. Strange, weird - yes, but in a good way. There is a narrator who calls himself/herself Context. The story is the opposite of linear. The reader is given bits and pieces of the narrative, some of which fit immediately, some seem unrelated but Context assures us that eventually we will understand - and we do. I want to reread this book with the knowledge of how everything fits together and see what I think of it then. Right now, my only complaint is I feel the sections devoted to Here drag on a bit. Yes, that is Here with a capital H. Read the book. You'll see.
This book, like the previous Richard Easter book I read, The General Theory Of Haunting, concerns itself with life and death and what happens after. The books are related but not sequels. They have some of the themes and a couple of characters in common. The author has a third book that is also related to these two books which should be published soon. I am looking forward to reading it.
February 3, 2020
Go Either There or Everywhere
The Gentle Art of Forgetting (The Snow Trilogy) by Richard Easter is an intriguing, thought-provoking and mysterious account of a young woman by the name of Jane Dawn.
The beginning of the book starts with an introduction by the narrator of the story. The narrator's name is Context. Adding to the unique beginning, Context begins to tease the reader by suggesting that the pages that are about to unfold will become very cold.
Certainly a compelling tease as to what is about to transpire with the narration of events in the life of Jane Dawn.
The story begins normally, but as Jane is seated on a wooden bench a shadowy figure approaches her and the unique journey begins to unfold.
The narrator, Context, jumps in as almost a third-party observer and forewarns the reader that things are about to get very strange and cautions the fellow sojourner that they are going right in to the deep end of the pool.
Turning back to the story, Jane finds herself in a location and is drawn inexplicably to the falling snow and apparently has no recollection of who she is. It would appear that her memory has been erased
The maze of the narration continues and we are introduced to a number of individuals who have significance in the life of Jane. As the journey unfolds the reader is drawn into the life and personality of Jane and is confronted with the reality that Jane is completely average and a life that the reader can relate to.
The story culminates nicely with one particular date in the life of Jane that draws everything together.
Ultimately, Jane is afforded two choices. Those choices are to either "go there or everywhere."
The Gentle Art of Forgetting by Richard Easter is most definitely a unique and unforgettable read. He uses a beautiful blend of though provoking ideas that are conveyed with a wonderful illustrative vocabulary.
The Gentle Art of Forgetting (The Snow Trilogy) by Richard Easter is an intriguing, thought-provoking and mysterious account of a young woman by the name of Jane Dawn.
The beginning of the book starts with an introduction by the narrator of the story. The narrator's name is Context. Adding to the unique beginning, Context begins to tease the reader by suggesting that the pages that are about to unfold will become very cold.
Certainly a compelling tease as to what is about to transpire with the narration of events in the life of Jane Dawn.
The story begins normally, but as Jane is seated on a wooden bench a shadowy figure approaches her and the unique journey begins to unfold.
The narrator, Context, jumps in as almost a third-party observer and forewarns the reader that things are about to get very strange and cautions the fellow sojourner that they are going right in to the deep end of the pool.
Turning back to the story, Jane finds herself in a location and is drawn inexplicably to the falling snow and apparently has no recollection of who she is. It would appear that her memory has been erased
The maze of the narration continues and we are introduced to a number of individuals who have significance in the life of Jane. As the journey unfolds the reader is drawn into the life and personality of Jane and is confronted with the reality that Jane is completely average and a life that the reader can relate to.
The story culminates nicely with one particular date in the life of Jane that draws everything together.
Ultimately, Jane is afforded two choices. Those choices are to either "go there or everywhere."
The Gentle Art of Forgetting by Richard Easter is most definitely a unique and unforgettable read. He uses a beautiful blend of though provoking ideas that are conveyed with a wonderful illustrative vocabulary.
January 15, 2020
I like a book that combines reality with a swerve into the unexpected and this one hit the spot for me on that score. It's narrated by a character called "Context" who metaphorically takes you by the hand and guides you through the life of Jane Dawn.
Jane is 30 and, for reasons that are the point of the story, wakes up in a strange snowy place with no memories. After this compelling start, the book flip-flops between Jane's life story and her time in this snowbound place, eventually drawing the two together on one day in 2003.
Along the way, "Context" shows you all kinds of apparently random characters and situations which at first left me scratching my head, but by the end, everything makes sense. I particularly liked the way that both you the reader and Jane the character get to know who she is as the novel progresses. By the end, you know her inside out. Apart from an odd incident in her childhood, Jane's life is reassuringly normal, she's an everywoman, she's me, she's us and she's very relatable. A mention to the prose, which is consistently beautiful throughout, full of original and memorable description. It isn't the most action-packed or twisting novel I've ever read, but I think that's the point. It's about how the ordinary can turn out to be anything but.
Ironically, for a story about forgetting it has stayed on my mind since. Definitely very original and also very moving. Five stars.
Jane is 30 and, for reasons that are the point of the story, wakes up in a strange snowy place with no memories. After this compelling start, the book flip-flops between Jane's life story and her time in this snowbound place, eventually drawing the two together on one day in 2003.
Along the way, "Context" shows you all kinds of apparently random characters and situations which at first left me scratching my head, but by the end, everything makes sense. I particularly liked the way that both you the reader and Jane the character get to know who she is as the novel progresses. By the end, you know her inside out. Apart from an odd incident in her childhood, Jane's life is reassuringly normal, she's an everywoman, she's me, she's us and she's very relatable. A mention to the prose, which is consistently beautiful throughout, full of original and memorable description. It isn't the most action-packed or twisting novel I've ever read, but I think that's the point. It's about how the ordinary can turn out to be anything but.
Ironically, for a story about forgetting it has stayed on my mind since. Definitely very original and also very moving. Five stars.
January 11, 2021
This book is magic. Really! While I was reading it started to snow. That’s not strange you say, it’s January! Well, it is fairly strange in Madrid. The last time we had enough snow to build a snowman was eleven years ago. I read more, the snow got worse. The worst snow in half a century (the city was almost declared a disaster area) and the worst snow I’ve ever seen. Snow fell for 18 hours straight at the worst point, and then… as I read the last pages of this book (about snow)… it stopped.
I’m not even exaggerating for dramatic effect!
Is it a good book though? YES!
He’s done it again! Or… before?
I read Don’t You Want Me? a couple of months ago and really enjoyed it, so immediately downloaded this from BookSirens. It’s technically #2 in the trilogy but it doesn’t matter, it stands alone. I loved it!
Jane Dawn wakes up in a hut in a snowy forest. She doesn’t know how she got there but she has her typewriter to help her remember and the snow to help her forget. What else can I say? It sounds mysterious, it sounds confusing, but it all becomes clear when you read. And you’ll want to keep reading!
It’s completely different from DYWM, which was a crime thriller set in 1981. I don’t even know how to describe this book! Magical realism? Yes, in parts. Tragic fictional biography? Also. Love story? Above all.
I loved this book because it was so fresh! It was so unlike anything I’ve read. And there were so many details that I didn’t guess, so the mystery and the story in general wasn’t ruined.
I also liked the connections to DYWM (Jane works as a waitress in a cocktail bar!) and I questioned the title of the former book but now see it was out of Easter’s control – he’s obsessed.
If you will allow me a small word of complaint at the end of this glowing review: ‘thank you’ is a two-word phrase! ‘Thankyou’ appears 12 times in this book! I won’t even start on ‘Tupperwear’.
Anyway, will I be reading the rest of the trilogy (and everything else Easter has written)? How soon can I finish this review?
Thank you BookSirens for this ARC!
I’m not even exaggerating for dramatic effect!
Is it a good book though? YES!
He’s done it again! Or… before?
I read Don’t You Want Me? a couple of months ago and really enjoyed it, so immediately downloaded this from BookSirens. It’s technically #2 in the trilogy but it doesn’t matter, it stands alone. I loved it!
Jane Dawn wakes up in a hut in a snowy forest. She doesn’t know how she got there but she has her typewriter to help her remember and the snow to help her forget. What else can I say? It sounds mysterious, it sounds confusing, but it all becomes clear when you read. And you’ll want to keep reading!
It’s completely different from DYWM, which was a crime thriller set in 1981. I don’t even know how to describe this book! Magical realism? Yes, in parts. Tragic fictional biography? Also. Love story? Above all.
I loved this book because it was so fresh! It was so unlike anything I’ve read. And there were so many details that I didn’t guess, so the mystery and the story in general wasn’t ruined.
I also liked the connections to DYWM (Jane works as a waitress in a cocktail bar!) and I questioned the title of the former book but now see it was out of Easter’s control – he’s obsessed.
If you will allow me a small word of complaint at the end of this glowing review: ‘thank you’ is a two-word phrase! ‘Thankyou’ appears 12 times in this book! I won’t even start on ‘Tupperwear’.
Anyway, will I be reading the rest of the trilogy (and everything else Easter has written)? How soon can I finish this review?
Thank you BookSirens for this ARC!
October 14, 2020
Oh my word, where to begin? I’ve just finished this book and I feel emotionally drained, uplifted, saddened, entranced, and so much more.
I read an excerpt of this book on Book Sirens before requesting a free digital ARC and the author’s voice spoke to me. It felt reminiscent of Terry Pratchett, my long time favourite author, and the quirky, conversational tone had me hooked.
The narrative flits about like a snowflake dancing in a winter sky. It never dwells in one area of the story for too long, often whisking the reader to another “somewhere” or “somewhen” which results in a dizzying effect as all the pieces of the plot float around.
And then, suddenly, it all makes sense. And it’s as if it always made sense, even though it didn’t just a few sentences ago.
The characters are few and perfectly formed. The emotions this book evoked in me were powerful and raw. The writing style is poetic, beautiful and unique.
This Gentle Art Of Forgetting is part of a trilogy and I want, no I need, to read the remaining two. I’m highly recommending this to literary fiction fans and am so grateful to the author for allowing me to experience this hauntingly beautiful work of art.
I read an excerpt of this book on Book Sirens before requesting a free digital ARC and the author’s voice spoke to me. It felt reminiscent of Terry Pratchett, my long time favourite author, and the quirky, conversational tone had me hooked.
The narrative flits about like a snowflake dancing in a winter sky. It never dwells in one area of the story for too long, often whisking the reader to another “somewhere” or “somewhen” which results in a dizzying effect as all the pieces of the plot float around.
And then, suddenly, it all makes sense. And it’s as if it always made sense, even though it didn’t just a few sentences ago.
The characters are few and perfectly formed. The emotions this book evoked in me were powerful and raw. The writing style is poetic, beautiful and unique.
This Gentle Art Of Forgetting is part of a trilogy and I want, no I need, to read the remaining two. I’m highly recommending this to literary fiction fans and am so grateful to the author for allowing me to experience this hauntingly beautiful work of art.
March 3, 2024
This is not your average novel and is not told in linear fashion so may not be for some readers due to that fact. That does not take away from the story and everything makes perfect sense and is wrapped up in the end. Context takes us on a journey through Jane Dawn's life. The novels are not exactly a series but they do contain similar themes and concepts. It does skip around but in a productive way that made sense and held my interest. Not once was I ever lost or disinterested.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
August 5, 2020
I just love this book. It's definitely not dark like The General Theory of Haunting; this is instead bright auroras (wink). At first I wasn't too sure about the narrator but as he promised everything fell together at the end and that, along with Easter's beautiful, genuine prose, made me forgive Context. Love the play of words, the vibrant characters, heck the themes in general in this Snow trilogy. Can't wait for "The Littel Tale Of Delivering (The Sleigh)”.
October 8, 2022
Original and thought provoking
Really couldn't put this bok down. Clever plotting and character drawing make this a real page turner. It's an original concept, very well written by an author who excells at taking the numerous threads of his story and weaving them in to an engaging tale.
I think that this book will stay with me for a while, especially the theme of grief and the mind's attempts at coping strategies to deal with it.
Really couldn't put this bok down. Clever plotting and character drawing make this a real page turner. It's an original concept, very well written by an author who excells at taking the numerous threads of his story and weaving them in to an engaging tale.
I think that this book will stay with me for a while, especially the theme of grief and the mind's attempts at coping strategies to deal with it.
May 17, 2020
This was an odd, absorbing sort of story. I would have given it five stars except for a few grammar/spelling errors. Since when did 'thankyou' become a word? Such a shame, for such a sublime, endearing story to fall short.
December 6, 2023
fabulous
What an excellent story. I loved the way things were described individually. Then put into one final picture. Truly lovely.
What an excellent story. I loved the way things were described individually. Then put into one final picture. Truly lovely.
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February 1, 2020Love, loss, magic, memory, mortality…and snow
British author Richard Easter steps onto the literary stage without fanfare or boisterous PR. He doesn’t need it. His writing is so completely satisfying in not only the novel at hand – THE GENTLE ART OF FORGETTING - but also in the manner in which he shares the conception for this Snow Trilogy. Rather than biographical data, Richard elects to grant the reader entrance into the manner in which his mind has worked in creating this elegant work – a trilogy, two parts published, the third coming this year, all interconnected, yet each as a stand-alone novel, at once dependent and independent of each other. Or as he states, ‘Seeming minor references in one become major themes in another. Ideas set up in one story are given further explanations elsewhere…’ And as he introduces himself, “I am Context.”
Some readers will place this novel in the genre of ‘magical realism,’ and if categories are necessary, that one works. Aside from descriptive comments, reading Richard’s unique manner of writing warrants entering this ‘trilogy.’ He story begins February 4, 2003, in East London: ‘Jane Dawn stood in the hallway of her tiny terraced East End home, stared into the mirror, then shut her eyes for a moment and sighed. She was about to leave for work, and that was never a good thing, because once there, Jane became other people. Soon, she might be a platinum blonde, sulky brunette or black bobbed, icy European dominatrix. There was always the possibility of a suit and tie, twinset and pearls or maybe just jogging gear. She sighed again and opened her eyes. Bloody hell, my schizo profession. Haven’t I done well? My careers officer would be so proud….Mirror-Jane stared back, with no opinion one way or the other.’
While the story may be a beginning or an in medias res matters little: the joy of consuming Richard’s prose and ideas is wholly satisfying. For a glance at the plot, he offers – ‘What you don’t remember can’t hurt you. A thirty-year-old woman called Jane Dawn wakes in a hut surrounded by a snow-covered forest. She remembers nothing apart from her name, but strange echoes flicker about her mind; that once she flew, time was out of joint, and how she may be responsible for something terrible. Jane is not alone, and the person with her knows far more than they are letting on. The answers to the mystery of Jane's curious life will be found over many decades in this story of love, loss, magic, memories, and mortality.’
By book’s end the author has successfully transported us into a refreshing, if at times pleasantly puzzling, realm. One thing is sure: the reader will likely advance toward the other parts of this trilogy, trying not to let go of this literary experience. Recommended.
British author Richard Easter steps onto the literary stage without fanfare or boisterous PR. He doesn’t need it. His writing is so completely satisfying in not only the novel at hand – THE GENTLE ART OF FORGETTING - but also in the manner in which he shares the conception for this Snow Trilogy. Rather than biographical data, Richard elects to grant the reader entrance into the manner in which his mind has worked in creating this elegant work – a trilogy, two parts published, the third coming this year, all interconnected, yet each as a stand-alone novel, at once dependent and independent of each other. Or as he states, ‘Seeming minor references in one become major themes in another. Ideas set up in one story are given further explanations elsewhere…’ And as he introduces himself, “I am Context.”
Some readers will place this novel in the genre of ‘magical realism,’ and if categories are necessary, that one works. Aside from descriptive comments, reading Richard’s unique manner of writing warrants entering this ‘trilogy.’ He story begins February 4, 2003, in East London: ‘Jane Dawn stood in the hallway of her tiny terraced East End home, stared into the mirror, then shut her eyes for a moment and sighed. She was about to leave for work, and that was never a good thing, because once there, Jane became other people. Soon, she might be a platinum blonde, sulky brunette or black bobbed, icy European dominatrix. There was always the possibility of a suit and tie, twinset and pearls or maybe just jogging gear. She sighed again and opened her eyes. Bloody hell, my schizo profession. Haven’t I done well? My careers officer would be so proud….Mirror-Jane stared back, with no opinion one way or the other.’
While the story may be a beginning or an in medias res matters little: the joy of consuming Richard’s prose and ideas is wholly satisfying. For a glance at the plot, he offers – ‘What you don’t remember can’t hurt you. A thirty-year-old woman called Jane Dawn wakes in a hut surrounded by a snow-covered forest. She remembers nothing apart from her name, but strange echoes flicker about her mind; that once she flew, time was out of joint, and how she may be responsible for something terrible. Jane is not alone, and the person with her knows far more than they are letting on. The answers to the mystery of Jane's curious life will be found over many decades in this story of love, loss, magic, memories, and mortality.’
By book’s end the author has successfully transported us into a refreshing, if at times pleasantly puzzling, realm. One thing is sure: the reader will likely advance toward the other parts of this trilogy, trying not to let go of this literary experience. Recommended.
February 7, 2020
3.5 Stars
The best thing about this book is the voice of Context. I think I would have been happy to have Context narrate throughout instead of flashing here and there throughout Jane's life and having Jane narrate to us. Context is wry and strangely disconnected from the story and that drew me in, Jane is altogether too serious and instead of sucking you in to her life I found that she kept me at arms length.
When you start the book you are warned that this is part of a trilogy - indeed you are slap bang in the middle of it with Jane's story. You really, REALLY, don't need to read either of the other books to enjoy this one. Apparently (and this is the only one I have read) they share similar themes and some recurring characters but also exist in their separate spaces and times. As a stand alone novel this worked well, I never felt like I was missing out on some nuance because I hadn't read the first book and it did make me curious to read it - which has to be good.
The whole idea of Context butting in to move the story along was a good one as otherwise this would have been a confusing mess. The whole idea of Here and Watching The Snow is just off the wall enough to intrigue me but it did get completely confusing at times but good old Context was always there to save the day. I also loved the idea of explaining the shifts throughout the years of Jane's life until we get to the denouement; it was certainly effective in building the tension and keeping you reading.
Yet, I didn't love this book; I enjoyed it but I always felt there was something missing from it. I think, with the benefit of a couple of days between finishing the book and reviewing it, that this was because I simply couldn't take to Jane. I lived for the 80s references throughout certain sections but that the was the most interesting and absorbing part of her character - pop culture references that hold a nostalgia for me.
On the whole a quirky story that shows a lot of promise by the author but just some way to go with the characters.
THIS IS AN HONEST AND UNBIASED REVIEW OF A FREE COPY OF THE BOOK RECEIVED VIA BOOK SIRENS
The best thing about this book is the voice of Context. I think I would have been happy to have Context narrate throughout instead of flashing here and there throughout Jane's life and having Jane narrate to us. Context is wry and strangely disconnected from the story and that drew me in, Jane is altogether too serious and instead of sucking you in to her life I found that she kept me at arms length.
When you start the book you are warned that this is part of a trilogy - indeed you are slap bang in the middle of it with Jane's story. You really, REALLY, don't need to read either of the other books to enjoy this one. Apparently (and this is the only one I have read) they share similar themes and some recurring characters but also exist in their separate spaces and times. As a stand alone novel this worked well, I never felt like I was missing out on some nuance because I hadn't read the first book and it did make me curious to read it - which has to be good.
The whole idea of Context butting in to move the story along was a good one as otherwise this would have been a confusing mess. The whole idea of Here and Watching The Snow is just off the wall enough to intrigue me but it did get completely confusing at times but good old Context was always there to save the day. I also loved the idea of explaining the shifts throughout the years of Jane's life until we get to the denouement; it was certainly effective in building the tension and keeping you reading.
Yet, I didn't love this book; I enjoyed it but I always felt there was something missing from it. I think, with the benefit of a couple of days between finishing the book and reviewing it, that this was because I simply couldn't take to Jane. I lived for the 80s references throughout certain sections but that the was the most interesting and absorbing part of her character - pop culture references that hold a nostalgia for me.
On the whole a quirky story that shows a lot of promise by the author but just some way to go with the characters.
THIS IS AN HONEST AND UNBIASED REVIEW OF A FREE COPY OF THE BOOK RECEIVED VIA BOOK SIRENS
November 3, 2020
Haunting.
Characters that were a litlle difficult to get to know. A narrative that was not easy to warm to. But then hardly realising they, it... meant something. One person in particular, Dave, became a favourite... and in the end it was easy to forgive him Lager Dad. A story that gets you thinking and leaves you wondering.
Characters that were a litlle difficult to get to know. A narrative that was not easy to warm to. But then hardly realising they, it... meant something. One person in particular, Dave, became a favourite... and in the end it was easy to forgive him Lager Dad. A story that gets you thinking and leaves you wondering.
January 19, 2020
This story is intriguing with the narrator inviting the reader to come along on a journey and cleverly weaving together the significant events in Jane's life that lead to the final outcome. These can be as monumental as a death, as tiny as a dripping tap.
Two very different styles are used. The chapters located in the place called Here are fragmented. The chapters written in what I will call the 'real world' are altogether different, with events, feelings and relationships described with great clarity and insight. Here the narrative flows and grips, getting right to the heart of emotions ranging all the way from grief to love, and as Jane's life story comes together, so she comes to life.
The novel has an original structure. It held my attention to the end, with hints of what was to come which kept me wondering where the narrator and I were going. However, for me the flaw in the narrative is that we are told on a few occasions that Jane has killed people, which is misleading and surprising in a book where a major theme is that of unavoidable random happenings determining our path through life. At the risk of giving too much away, I will say no more!
Two very different styles are used. The chapters located in the place called Here are fragmented. The chapters written in what I will call the 'real world' are altogether different, with events, feelings and relationships described with great clarity and insight. Here the narrative flows and grips, getting right to the heart of emotions ranging all the way from grief to love, and as Jane's life story comes together, so she comes to life.
The novel has an original structure. It held my attention to the end, with hints of what was to come which kept me wondering where the narrator and I were going. However, for me the flaw in the narrative is that we are told on a few occasions that Jane has killed people, which is misleading and surprising in a book where a major theme is that of unavoidable random happenings determining our path through life. At the risk of giving too much away, I will say no more!
March 27, 2020
This is a strange and fascinating book. It's one of those books that starts with lots of different strings, and part of the interest is seeing how Easter is going to bring them all together, alongside the big question: what is going on?
Jane Dawn finds herself Here - a clearing in a strange forest, filled with snow - a place where she has to work out why she's there, and choose where to go next. The book unfolds in this timescale and in the story of her life. Easter is good at playing with time, and good at building in small details that eventually reveal their significance.
This is not a conventional thriller, but it pulls you in with its own mystery and its own questions.
Apparently it links in with "The General Theory of Haunting", which I read a while ago. I'm going to have to go back and re-read now, and look for the connections. This is definitely not a sequel, it's very much a stand-alone book, but I'm interested to see how Easter builds those links in. He's good at connections. and odd twists.
Thank you, NetGalley, for letting me read this.
Jane Dawn finds herself Here - a clearing in a strange forest, filled with snow - a place where she has to work out why she's there, and choose where to go next. The book unfolds in this timescale and in the story of her life. Easter is good at playing with time, and good at building in small details that eventually reveal their significance.
This is not a conventional thriller, but it pulls you in with its own mystery and its own questions.
Apparently it links in with "The General Theory of Haunting", which I read a while ago. I'm going to have to go back and re-read now, and look for the connections. This is definitely not a sequel, it's very much a stand-alone book, but I'm interested to see how Easter builds those links in. He's good at connections. and odd twists.
Thank you, NetGalley, for letting me read this.
June 28, 2020
I would rate this as a 2.5/5. The novel follows the main character Jane throughout a nonlinear timeframe. While reading the novel, the snippets of stories that were meant to be meaningful by the end were almost too many to keep track of or make me truly care about until after finishing the novel.
By the end of the novel, I was so mind blown that I felt bad for not paying closer attention to the book while reading it. I felt as if it ended abruptly leaving me with tons of questions about where Jane actually ends up. And, maybe that is the point--however, that is not something I typically enjoy in reading. The novel is tragically beautiful, but unfortunately, not something I would want to read again or features I would want to see as much of in other novels.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
By the end of the novel, I was so mind blown that I felt bad for not paying closer attention to the book while reading it. I felt as if it ended abruptly leaving me with tons of questions about where Jane actually ends up. And, maybe that is the point--however, that is not something I typically enjoy in reading. The novel is tragically beautiful, but unfortunately, not something I would want to read again or features I would want to see as much of in other novels.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
February 6, 2020
I adored this book. I was drawn in my the initial character/ narrator called Context. And Context did explain where we were in the story, as we moved forwards and backwards in the timeline on Jane's life, and helped anchor us when we didn't know quite what was happening.
I don't want to give anything away, but the story is engrossing, moving, infuriating and surprising by turns. I haven't ready anything quite like it before.
Like life, there are moments of confusion, joy, grief, longing, love, shock and happiness.
Please keep going to the very end, because it all comes together, and begins to make sense.
I don't want to give anything away, but the story is engrossing, moving, infuriating and surprising by turns. I haven't ready anything quite like it before.
Like life, there are moments of confusion, joy, grief, longing, love, shock and happiness.
Please keep going to the very end, because it all comes together, and begins to make sense.
February 10, 2020
3.5 rounding down - though this took me a bit to get into, I did enjoy it. We find Jane Here (with a capital 'h'), encouraged by The Man to regain her memories. Slowly, we find out bits of Jane's life, what has led her to Here, and what There and Everywhere looks like for her.
This certainly is an interestingly woven story, though I would have appreciated getting to know Jane better earlier on (her relationship with her father and Simon definitely could have been explored further). I was a bit unsatisfied with the ending as I felt it was a bit predictable - but overall, I'm not upset I spent time on this one.
This certainly is an interestingly woven story, though I would have appreciated getting to know Jane better earlier on (her relationship with her father and Simon definitely could have been explored further). I was a bit unsatisfied with the ending as I felt it was a bit predictable - but overall, I'm not upset I spent time on this one.
July 11, 2020
What a stunning book! I was totally captivated by it. The voice of Context leads us through the various events that matter to the story and assures us that we will understand all in the end - and we do. The concept of this book is so unusual, different to anything I’ve read before - and I’ve read a lot! The writing is beautiful, I cared about the characters and what happened to them and the ending was satisfying, but at the same time left me wanting more. Can I really only give it 5 stars? I was privileged to have received a free copy of this book from Booksirens in return for my honest review.
January 30, 2020
This novel (and the previous in the series) is unique in it's structure and approach, and in good ways. It's also genre defying since it can be put in multiple categories. Easter shows a lot of talent, and does a great job of keeping interesting by making it a bit of an intellectual read. Recommended.
I really appreciate the advanced copy for review!!
I really appreciate the advanced copy for review!!
February 13, 2020
A very strange story, one of three intertwined books says the author, which begins with a woman in a small cabin looking out on a snowy landscape. She has no memories. There is a man in the cabin who, when asked where she is, says "Here".
I'm sorry, but this book did not appeal to me.
Books Go Social Edelweiss 12/22/19
I'm sorry, but this book did not appeal to me.
Books Go Social Edelweiss 12/22/19
June 19, 2020
This book takes some interesting meditations on consciousness and memory, and wraps that into a fairly decent story -- most interesting is the meet-cute with Simon, and of course the "Here" construct.
Some tropes like the unhelpful guide could have been more original, but overall a fairly interesting book.
I received a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.
Some tropes like the unhelpful guide could have been more original, but overall a fairly interesting book.
I received a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.
January 31, 2020
Probably the best casual meeting in a crematorium scene that has ever been written. Made me laugh out loud with its genuine first chat nerves and realism.
Excellent thought provoker
#NetGalley #TheGentleArtOfForgetting
Excellent thought provoker
#NetGalley #TheGentleArtOfForgetting
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