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metaphorosis's review
3.0
After London is made up of two distinct parts. First is "The Relapse into Barbarism", which describes the decline of civilization, but more importantly the recovery of nature, after an unspecified disaster. This section draws heavily on Jefferies background as a nature writer, and is essentially a detailed thought experiment on what would happen to the English countryside without many men around. For a potentially dry topic, it is surprisingly readable - largely because Jefferies describes the reaction of each aspect or species plausibly, then moves on without bogging down in details. Normally, this kind of material would exist mainly as backdrop for the characters. Here, one gets the feeling that the second half of the book was written mainly as an excuse for this imagination of the environment.
The second part of the book "Wild England", is a more standard adventure story about a sullen and disaffected young noble and his search for a place in the world (one that will impress his beloved). The story is simple, and still relies heavily on descriptions of the environment as the hero travels around. But it is again well thought through, and the hero's emotions are as plausible and realistic as the scenery around him.
The book is a pleasant read, if not exciting. I would have considered giving it a higher mark, but for the fact that the story effectively stops mid-stream. We can imagine what happens next; it's not essential that we're told. But because there's no gradual letdown, it feels very abrupt - enough so that on reading an e-copy a couple of decades after the print version, I went looking on the internet to see whether I had somehow been shortchanged.
So, a fun, interesting read, but a little disappointing at the end.
The second part of the book "Wild England", is a more standard adventure story about a sullen and disaffected young noble and his search for a place in the world (one that will impress his beloved). The story is simple, and still relies heavily on descriptions of the environment as the hero travels around. But it is again well thought through, and the hero's emotions are as plausible and realistic as the scenery around him.
The book is a pleasant read, if not exciting. I would have considered giving it a higher mark, but for the fact that the story effectively stops mid-stream. We can imagine what happens next; it's not essential that we're told. But because there's no gradual letdown, it feels very abrupt - enough so that on reading an e-copy a couple of decades after the print version, I went looking on the internet to see whether I had somehow been shortchanged.
So, a fun, interesting read, but a little disappointing at the end.
samwescott's review
2.0
The method of world-building in this novel was very different than what I've generally experienced in post-apocalyptic/fantasy novels. Instead of burdening the story with clumsy explanations from characters or contrived plot devices that introduce new aspects of the world only when needed (cough*cough*JKRowling*cough), Jefferies just tells the reader about his world upfront. The first section of the novel, "The Return to Barbarism", is the literary equivalent to a nature documentary about a foreign landscape. With lovely attention to detail, this section of tedious description and explanation is made vibrant and compelling.
I wish the same could be said of the rest of the novel. The second section, "Wild England", is an adventure story set in the world that the reader is now acquainted with. It's a typical adventure story of a moody, privileged male protagonist who goes on a quest to seek his fortunes and runs into varied and assorted obstacles. The artful descriptions fall flat in this section of the book and the plot drags along by inches. The protagonist is unsympathetic and the plot seems aimless. The only exciting portion of the story was the discovery of what has become of London and that segment of the book over-corrects and swings into incongruous surrealism. I wasn't bothered by the abrupt ending because I did not feel invested in the adventure.
I recommend reading the first part slowly and savoring the detailed descriptions. They really are beautiful. But then feel free to write your own fanfiction set in Jefferies carefully constructed world, because the story he supplied really isn't that interesting.
I wish the same could be said of the rest of the novel. The second section, "Wild England", is an adventure story set in the world that the reader is now acquainted with. It's a typical adventure story of a moody, privileged male protagonist who goes on a quest to seek his fortunes and runs into varied and assorted obstacles. The artful descriptions fall flat in this section of the book and the plot drags along by inches. The protagonist is unsympathetic and the plot seems aimless. The only exciting portion of the story was the discovery of what has become of London and that segment of the book over-corrects and swings into incongruous surrealism. I wasn't bothered by the abrupt ending because I did not feel invested in the adventure.
I recommend reading the first part slowly and savoring the detailed descriptions. They really are beautiful. But then feel free to write your own fanfiction set in Jefferies carefully constructed world, because the story he supplied really isn't that interesting.
dansumption's review
3.0
After London, a post-apocalyptic novel written in 1885, begins with a long description of how the English countryside reasserts itself, and subsequently evolves, following the unspecified disaster that has befallen England's cities and driven out most of its human population. There follows a rather mundane story of Sir Felix, a nobleman in the feudalistic society that arises following the fall. In the final part of the book Sir Felix goes questing, and the pace of the story picks up a little, as well as touching some more on the nature of the apocalypse.
As a story, it's nothing very special, but I really enjoyed Jefferies' descriptions of nature, and of the prolific bird, tree and plant-life in this new England.
As a story, it's nothing very special, but I really enjoyed Jefferies' descriptions of nature, and of the prolific bird, tree and plant-life in this new England.
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