A Tapestry of Intrigue

WWII comes to life in every way in this book by Kate Atkinson. Volleying from 1981, to wartime, to ten years afterward, and back again, we read the tale of young Juliet Armstrong, plucked from a horde of job applicants for a transcription job. The days drag but there are blips of terror, hilarity, and drama. Her tasks expand into other realms, until you find your own self checking your memory to keep everything straight. A decade later and some demons still haunt, and memories of unfortunate consequences of the necessities of national security and self-preservation. Twisty and guess-inducing.

Meticulously Researched

Kudos to Edward Ball for having the, well, his surname is appropriate, let's say, to pursue this topic. Along the way, he mentions some grumbling and snippish comments, but I'm sure there was more than that. As hellish as the whole theme is, he seems to have done his best to rout out the minutiae of his family's legacy. There was slave-ownership. Slave dealing. Slave selling. Beating, maiming, "relationships", murder. And finally, an attempt and uncovering it all and one man's quest for some restitution. I thought the author showed amazing awareness, especially since the book was published in 1998. There were some well-meaning, but possibly trite statements made (by Ball), but he's transparent in his chronicling of being taken down a peg when he made them. His astoundingly detailed family tree somehow stays clear in one's mind due to his careful and uncluttered writing. Fascinating and sad, but how admirable that he took on this task.

What a Time to Be Different

Living with a genital anomaly would be difficult now, but imagine that scenario 100 years ago. This story, based on the life of the author's great aunt (but technically fiction) paints a vivid picture of just how that life would be. What you'd miss. What you'd long for. What others would be subjected to, should you choose to let them into your life. The author does a good job of bringing all of these elements into the light so you can ponder them a bit. "Miss Jane" is part of a very imperfect family, who nevertheless, finds a way to teach Jane that she is capable and worthy. She is further mentored by the family doctor who initially found her an interesting subject of study, but as the years passed, respected her strength and wisdom, rightfully. Interesting, if a little melancholy, but how would it not be? Great writing.