Reading the Chunksters discussion

1. The seances are often used as certain historical benchmarks of Victorian fiction. The scene in chapter 23, in my opinion, presents the case of cognitive dissonance for William and for us, readers. On one hand, William is not a believer despite his father's religious history; he often relies on facts, deduction and common sense in his line of business, but in this chapter, the seance or the aftermath of it is a revelation despite the general satirical outlook on mediums and seances.

2. How can you define the genre of The Balloonist? Do the two historical perspectives (Victorian London and the Civil War in the USA) clash in the novel?

3. What is the literary purpose of The Balloonist? Is it too early to speculate? It a metaphorical title as an opportunity to see the bigger picture of the Civil War specifically and/or the novel in general?

The descriptions of war are powerful yet restrained for someone whose power over prose is as skilled as Price's. He isn't as restrained in his descriptions elsewhere -- the sewers, the sisters' house, just walking down the streets of London. Maybe its just me but I see the ambience of London as saturated in shadows and gloom, while I see the ambience of South Africa and U.S. as soaked in light. Even the scene where William wakes up in the tree in the middle of the night contains more light than many of the daytime jaunts down the streets of London.

William is young and scared of the balloon, a nice touch by Price. For the first time we see Pinkerton as vulnerable, human.

The view of the charge of Malvern Hill from the balloon above caused a burst of cinematography in my mind's eye, another scene easily transferable to the Screen.

Why do you think William lied to the female reporter about the balloon drifting over the battle? I'm not understanding that.

The seance is another example of shadows and gloom. The seance is staged and most likely fraudulent, an attempt to get the two to end their quest, something that will not happen because William and Adam are each driven by their own demons. But the fraud unexpectedly reveals to Pinkerton a truth -- Adam's real identity. So here we have something mystical and unreal revealing something very real.

Xan Shadowflutter wrote: " Maybe its just me but I see the ambience of London as saturated in shadows and gloom, while I see the ambience of South Africa and U.S. as soaked in light. Even the scene where William wakes up in the tree in the middle of the night contains more light than many of the daytime jaunts down the streets of London.."

I tend to agree with you. I find London descriptions more atmospheric than the descriptions of other places. Price is a very skillful writer, but the descriptions of other places are beautiful and haunting but somehow does not evoke the feeling of authenticity, although the images of war are truly haunting.

Xan Shadowflutter wrote: "The seance is another example of shadows and gloom. The seance is staged and most likely fraudulent, an attempt to get the two to end their quest, something that will not happen because William and..."

The description of the seance had that surreal and even transcendental feeling ... but we are also given clear signals how fake it was. Overall, superb description.

It was a great chapter that made me sweat, both from the heat of the location and the stress of the balloon ride. I looked up the name Ignatius because it is so unusual, and it means "unknown" - it fits perfectly with the whole theme of this novel.

Xan, I completely enjoyed seeing Pinkerton as a vulnerable young man. It made him more likable and sympathetic.

The seance was fake with a touch (if you suspend your belief) of magic/supernatural forces.

The thing that I found most interesting about the balloonist chapter was the timing of all the pieces. The balloon episode itself took place in 1862, before the other events in the novel (except perhaps the earlier expedition into the American west? I forgot to check in that date). But it says the conversation with the reporter was happening"thirty two years later". later than what? it seems to be sitting the first world war, so I guess later than the seance .. she also said at some point it had been "fifty years", so ok. either way, well after all the events have read about so far happen, and probably after the actual conclusion of this story. So we are looking at a future William here, as well as the past (young and scared) one. Very interesting perspective switch to me.

Then, we also have the "fake" article mentioned, published in 1873. which is somewhat before the events of the novel, although only a year before South Africa (though I doubt they are related).

But THAT made me recall that in Foole's story about how Shade died, he had mentioned a year, which made William suspicious. so I went back and checked on that year to see where it fit in... and it was 1873. So maybe his travel to South Africa was pushed by whatever happened between him and William's father.

Ouch, apologies for all the poor formatting. I wrote that comment from my phone!