With a bit of a respite from reading book club books, I am delving into some of those "I really want to read" books. Tops on the list was to start reading Jeffrey Archer's Clifton Chronicles series. I have loved his previous books and his easy way of writing and pulling the reader into complex stories of relationships, twists, and historical perspective.
Only Time Will Tell is the first of this series. It is set in London and Bristol England and chronicles the early life of its protagonist, Harry Clifton. It spans the period from the end of World War I to the onset of World War II. Harry is the son of Arthur, a dockworker, and Maisie Clifton, or at least he believes is. He will most likely follow in his father's footsteps until a choir-mistress discovers his wonderful voice, an event that opens up an entire new world to Harry. By earning scholarships, Harry continues his education and become steadfast friends with Giles Barrington, the son of the shipping company mogue, Hugo Barrington. Although Harry believes that his father was killed in the war, there is speculation that Barrington contributed in some way to Arthur's death. Maisie Clifton offers no further testimony to this fact as she tries to balance financial woes with another series of tragedies and unfortunate events in her life.
Stepping in for Harry's father is Capt. Jack Tarrant, V.C., a hero in the Boer War who saved the life of Barrington. He resides in a railroad car at the shipyard and looks out for Harry in so many ways.
The other dimension in the novel is the fact that Emma, Giles' sister and Harry become involved in a relationship. The two are very much in love, but Hugo's disdain of Harry presents an issue in more ways than one for the two star-crossed lovers, the foreshadowing of which happens as the two appear in Romeo and Juliet.
Although Only Time Will Tell may have moments of implausibility with twists and turns it is a very good read. The reader develops quite a bit of empathy for Harry and his plight. But it is a page turner, especially if you have a fondness for Archer's style and plot. Can't wait to get on to the next chapter in Harry's life.
The critical acclaim for The Sympathizer is well earned and deserved. From the onset, the reader knows that this is a book that is an important contribution to the collection of world literature. To be sure, it is not the easiest of books to read, but a story that will resonate well into the future.
In a trend for books today, the novel is told by an unnamed narrator who is writing his confess for the commandant. It begins as Saigon is about to fall and so many are trying to escape as quickly as they can. The Narrator lives with the General, on whom he is to spy, and is given the task to compile a limited list of names of those who could be evacuated with the General. The escape is not without peril as the Narrator's best friend's, Bon, wife and son are killed on the tarmac. The Narrator's handler, Man, is likewise a communist, while Bon is a patriot.
Escaping to Los Angeles, Bon and the Narrator share an apartment and Bon works for the General who opens a liquor store. The Narrator goes to work for the Department of Oriental [sic] Studies at the university where he meets Ms. Mori, with whom he begins a relationship. From this point the narrative turns into a cat and mouse espionage adventure. The General believes that there is a mole in his organization as he begins to reorganize an army to return to Viet Nam to fight the communists. The Narrator informs the General that, indeed, there is a spy and it is the crapulant major, who is handled.
The Narrator returns to Viet Nam as a consultant on a movie that is being produced and the plot thickens as to explosions, torture, the revelation of who exactly Man is, and the final statement in the book, "We will live!"
The writing is exquisite and sophisticated. The sentences are crafted so well and the characters developed to a degree that is not often seen in fiction today. Sympathy, is the underlying theme of the novel, hence the title. The Narrator shows sympathy at nearly every turn in his life. He is able to understand people and their beliefs, even though they might not align with his. He is a communist, to be sure, but also can sympathize with the General and his desire to reclaim his native country.
It was an interesting talk that Nguyen gave for the Ten Literary Evenings. One point that really came through was his life as a Vietnamese man in America - you never quite feel at home in your life. When you are with your family in a typical Vietnamese home, you feel as an outsider to the American way. When you are on the outside in the midst of American culture, you are not at home with your heritage. A good point for all of us to remember as we deal with refugees in our country.
