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3.78 AVERAGE
3.78 AVERAGE
"It's idea a person can write summat on a bit of paper about a piece of land that lives and breathes, and changes and quakes and floods and dries, and that that person can use it as he will, or not at all, and that he can keep others off it, all because of a piece of paper. That's part which means nowt to me."
Elmet tracks the story of Daniel, Cathy and Daddy, who have claimed their mother's land and built a house upon it. As the title suggests, the story is seeded with ancient knowledge, myths of Robyn Hode and Ted Hughes' Remains of Elmet. It is linguistically beautiful, poetic in its descriptions yet homely and familiar. Much is made of the food they eat and of the nature around them: "I see bovine silhouettes shift steadily across meadows, bulking their uneasy weight from trough to furrow, and elsewhere, I see the dusk settle on the fleeces of grazing ewes like sparks from flint to tinder. I watch the land glow and the sky burn. And I step through it with a judicious tread."
There is a lot going on in Elmet, not necessarily in terms of plot in what Mozley is asking us to think about. There are parallels between the fight with Price and the natural world versus climate change, a new versus an old way of life.
The book is mysterious and for most of it I was trying to guess what was going to happen, recognising clues and hooked for the reveal. The pace quickens towards the end of the novel to its conclusion. There was, for me, a whisper of Wuthering Heights - the Yorkshire landscape, Daddy's darkness but also tenderness (Heathcliff, anyone?) and, of course, Cathy.
Mozley's approach to Cathy is refreshing. She acknowledges her vulnerability as a young woman in a cast of men, but she fights back and her final scene (spoiler alert) owns her nakedness and destroys her attackers. There is a resonance with the #MeToo movement here and fighting back.
It is a wonderful book, beautifully written with many layers to make you think about what we have lost, what we lose everyday and how the old ways aren't always the right way.
Elmet tracks the story of Daniel, Cathy and Daddy, who have claimed their mother's land and built a house upon it. As the title suggests, the story is seeded with ancient knowledge, myths of Robyn Hode and Ted Hughes' Remains of Elmet. It is linguistically beautiful, poetic in its descriptions yet homely and familiar. Much is made of the food they eat and of the nature around them: "I see bovine silhouettes shift steadily across meadows, bulking their uneasy weight from trough to furrow, and elsewhere, I see the dusk settle on the fleeces of grazing ewes like sparks from flint to tinder. I watch the land glow and the sky burn. And I step through it with a judicious tread."
There is a lot going on in Elmet, not necessarily in terms of plot in what Mozley is asking us to think about. There are parallels between the fight with Price and the natural world versus climate change, a new versus an old way of life.
The book is mysterious and for most of it I was trying to guess what was going to happen, recognising clues and hooked for the reveal. The pace quickens towards the end of the novel to its conclusion. There was, for me, a whisper of Wuthering Heights - the Yorkshire landscape, Daddy's darkness but also tenderness (Heathcliff, anyone?) and, of course, Cathy.
Mozley's approach to Cathy is refreshing. She acknowledges her vulnerability as a young woman in a cast of men, but she fights back and her final scene (spoiler alert) owns her nakedness and destroys her attackers. There is a resonance with the #MeToo movement here and fighting back.
It is a wonderful book, beautifully written with many layers to make you think about what we have lost, what we lose everyday and how the old ways aren't always the right way.
Gorgeous, sensual writing. Tortured characters. Right up my alley! Loved it!
Elmet is a unique read . . .it has an otherworldly feel that is extremely hard to describe. There are some books that don't lend themselves to "I loved this" or even "I liked this" - I would have to say that you EXPERIENCE Elmet.
Mozley created a world in which a family of outliers attempts to exist by their own rules as society tries to break their spirit. The prose is rich and atmospheric, with complicated and dark characters. Having lived 15 years in Vermont, I could identify with the family Mozley portrayed. These are people who have, for various reasons, chosen another way of life and, when judged by society's standards are considered eccentric and even deviant. This book is not for everyone - the pace is extremely slow. Nature is her own character, not just a setting, and I found myself fully absorbed by this family's struggle to exist in the "copse." Elmet is a lesson in the balance of peace and tolerance with righteousness and superiority.
Mozley created a world in which a family of outliers attempts to exist by their own rules as society tries to break their spirit. The prose is rich and atmospheric, with complicated and dark characters. Having lived 15 years in Vermont, I could identify with the family Mozley portrayed. These are people who have, for various reasons, chosen another way of life and, when judged by society's standards are considered eccentric and even deviant. This book is not for everyone - the pace is extremely slow. Nature is her own character, not just a setting, and I found myself fully absorbed by this family's struggle to exist in the "copse." Elmet is a lesson in the balance of peace and tolerance with righteousness and superiority.
Sadly I did not finish this book. I thought the prose and descriptions were beautiful but I did not warm to the characters or the storyline and found I was not looking forward to reading it so I've put this down.
Elmet is a story unlike any other that I have read. While I like to think I am generally aware of issues affecting those marginalized by society, I sometimes lose perspective of the breadth of people who may be perceived as outcasts. Elmet is the story of Daniel and Cathy, children of a man known throughout the novel as "Daddy." While Daddy is not abusive towards his children, he has a deep-rooted hatred, which often manifests in violence, towards authority and the law, and the inevitable oppressive effect these two groups have on those who viewed as lower class by the realm of society. While we never learn exactly why Daddy's views have been formed the way they have, we can assume there are deep-rooted mentalities that are based in oppressive systems. While Elmet is set in present day and is incredibly timely, as it relates to current events facing much of the Western hemisphere, it is told in a timeless voice, with echoes of a much more feudal, agrarian society that many of the more urbanized class can easily forget still exist in our own countries. In my opinion, Elmet is a worthy Man Booker contender and is well worth the read.
This is what I want from a debut book. Oddly charming, odd in itself, loved it. Mildly uninterested in some parts of it, hence the nearly 4-instead-of-5-star-rating, but enjoyed it overall.
What an intense read. Set in a part of Yorkshire that once belonged to the Celtic kingdom of Elmet, the echoes of that time still reside in the atmosphere of the novel. Elmet was known to be a refuge from the law, and we see how that reputation has carried into modern times. This contrast between the ingrained forces of the land's past and the opposing force of the law was one of the more interesting conflicts the novel presented. The other theme that stands out particularly is ownership: ownership of land, ownership of the body, ownership of other people, etc. The characters grapple with how much control they have over themselves and others, which was interesting to read about.
One criticism I have is that the novel sometimes got bogged down in unnecessary detail that made for dull reading. Unfortunately, I did find myself skimming some passages that were undoubtedly beautifully written but too focused on insignificant details that detracted from the main direction of the novel.
Elmet starts off quite slow, but once the plot reaches its height, it bursts with unleashed tension and energy.
One criticism I have is that the novel sometimes got bogged down in unnecessary detail that made for dull reading. Unfortunately, I did find myself skimming some passages that were undoubtedly beautifully written but too focused on insignificant details that detracted from the main direction of the novel.
Elmet starts off quite slow, but once the plot reaches its height, it bursts with unleashed tension and energy.
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Gun violence, Sexual violence, Abandonment
Minor: Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Slavery, Kidnapping, Death of parent