One of the pleasures of reviewing books on a blog is that from time to
time an author will suggest you read their book, and as a result a
little gem drops into your lap completely out of the blue, something
that you would never, ever have found by yourself. This is one such
book. It’s rather a shame, actually, that the paranormal aspect will
cause it to fall into a genre black hole, because it truly deserves a
wider audience. Yes, it’s paranormal fantasy, and perhaps it’s
technically urban, too, but it’s not a romance, and there are no
vampires or werewolves. It’s about people, and the choices they make,
and it’s much closer to literary fiction than fantasy.
The
premise is a simple one. Five friends from university days hold a
reunion twenty years later on the eve of the predicted Mayan calendar
apocalypse. During the evening, all five of them are mysteriously shown
an alternate life and get to choose which one to stay in: the current
life or the alternate. The five alternate histories are, in certain
ways, like short stories, but they are all compelling and they fit
perfectly into the overall story arc without feeling forced. There are
some odd pacing choices - the earlier episodes are noticeably longer
than the later ones, which puts them right on the edge of starting to
drag. Quincey’s alternate history in particular was both slow and overly
schmaltzy, and I really wanted to hurry things along to find out how
she would choose. Fortunately, the author’s elegant writing style stops
things from tipping over into overt sentimentality.
As the five
step into their alternate existences, and decide which of the two lives
they will choose, we learn a great deal about each of them, their
personalities, the influences for good or bad on them, and their
relationships. The choices are never easy, and in at least one case
heart-wrenchingly difficult, but there are no right or wrong answers
here, and this is not about correcting past mistakes. Rather, it’s about
who you want to be, who you are and about being true to yourself, even
if that means giving up something else along the way. These are profound
questions, and I’m sure everyone who reads this will find themselves in
contemplative mood afterwards.
The ending is deeply poignant,
and yet perfectly fitting. This is a beautiful book, elegantly written,
with wonderful and memorable characters, and a thought-provoking
subtext. It is barely-there fantasy, and would fit comfortably into
mainstream literature. If the author hadn’t suggested I try it, I would
probably have passed over it as being ‘not my thing’, and I would have
missed a treat. The only minor criticism is that some of the alternate
lives are slightly idealised, but I enjoyed it so much I can overlook
that. Five stars.
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