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books_and_cha 's review for:
Bellman & Black
by Diane Setterfield
Having read - and loved - Diane Setterfield's The Thirteenth Tale, I was looking forward to reading something else by her, and I was not disappointed. Although the stories are radically different - and I'll talk about this later - Settefield's smooth, lyrical prose shines through in Bellman & Black as it did in The Thirteenth Tale.
Bellman & Black follows the story of William Bellman. The book begins on the day that William kills a rook and then jumps forward to the late years of his adolescence. From there on, we get a steady portrait of his life. That is what this book about - William Bellman's life: where he first worked, the woman he falls in love with, the losses he suffers and the new enterprises he embarks on.
I know what you're thinking: that's not what the book blurb says. Forget about the book blurb. While the description given isn't entirely wrong, it is misleading. The point of the story is not that William makes a deal with Mr. Black and starts a mysterious business. Yes, that happens and it is an important plot point, but it's hardly the main aspect of the book. This book comprises of so much - it makes facts of the time period a reality for the characters (think: illnesses, heteronormative society, etc.), it beautifully blends in lore about rooks with the plot, it follows a character throughout his lifetime. Oh, and it manages to tie everything up neatly together in the end (can you tell I love Diane Setterfield?).
Now, for all those of you who want to read this because you loved The Thirteenth Tale, a word of caution: if you're looking for a book with similar themes, this is not the place. The Thirteenth Tale is about a biographer unearthing secrets in a famous author's life. It is a gothic mystery that plays with time and perception. It has an eerie atmosphere and celebrates a love of stories. All brilliant. Bellman & Black, on the other hand, is about the ups and downs in the life of William Bellman. Who he is, how he changes, what happens in his story. The main themes in the book are success and death. It has a mystery - we all want to know who Mr. Black is and what deal is made between him and Bellman - but it's not the same. They are two different stories and liking one does not mean you'll like the other.
That being said, they both have the same lucid style, and the narration in Bellman & Black is similar to that of Vida Winter's story in The Thirteenth Tale. I'm not sure what time period B&B is in, but the countryside and the family history that Vida relates in the beginning of The Thirteenth Tale is similar to the setting of Bellman & Black. Setterfield seems to point the reader in a certain direction, and then completely surprise them with what actually happens in both books. I don't know if that's so much a twist as it is a red herring. Anyways, I liked it.
In all, lovely read. I'm definitely going to be reading more of Setterfield.
Bellman & Black follows the story of William Bellman. The book begins on the day that William kills a rook and then jumps forward to the late years of his adolescence. From there on, we get a steady portrait of his life. That is what this book about - William Bellman's life: where he first worked, the woman he falls in love with, the losses he suffers and the new enterprises he embarks on.
I know what you're thinking: that's not what the book blurb says. Forget about the book blurb. While the description given isn't entirely wrong, it is misleading. The point of the story is not that William makes a deal with Mr. Black and starts a mysterious business. Yes, that happens and it is an important plot point, but it's hardly the main aspect of the book. This book comprises of so much - it makes facts of the time period a reality for the characters (think: illnesses, heteronormative society, etc.), it beautifully blends in lore about rooks with the plot, it follows a character throughout his lifetime. Oh, and it manages to tie everything up neatly together in the end (can you tell I love Diane Setterfield?).
Now, for all those of you who want to read this because you loved The Thirteenth Tale, a word of caution: if you're looking for a book with similar themes, this is not the place. The Thirteenth Tale is about a biographer unearthing secrets in a famous author's life. It is a gothic mystery that plays with time and perception. It has an eerie atmosphere and celebrates a love of stories. All brilliant. Bellman & Black, on the other hand, is about the ups and downs in the life of William Bellman. Who he is, how he changes, what happens in his story. The main themes in the book are success and death. It has a mystery - we all want to know who Mr. Black is and what deal is made between him and Bellman - but it's not the same. They are two different stories and liking one does not mean you'll like the other.
That being said, they both have the same lucid style, and the narration in Bellman & Black is similar to that of Vida Winter's story in The Thirteenth Tale. I'm not sure what time period B&B is in, but the countryside and the family history that Vida relates in the beginning of The Thirteenth Tale is similar to the setting of Bellman & Black. Setterfield seems to point the reader in a certain direction, and then completely surprise them with what actually happens in both books. I don't know if that's so much a twist as it is a red herring. Anyways, I liked it.
In all, lovely read. I'm definitely going to be reading more of Setterfield.