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A review by laurenla
The Gradual by Christopher Priest
4.0
If you haven't read Christopher Priest before, please do. He writing is unique, intelligent and humane. If you have read Christopher Priest before, enjoy this journey...
Christopher Priest's book The Gradual is immaculate and teasing, set in a slightly different reality, narrated with precision and foreignness. The autobiographic tale of a talented musician, Sandro lives during a war which rages offscreen while he develops his music and gains world renown. Part of an international tour, he begins to explore the Archipelago, a collection of islands that make up much of his world, each island with its own culture and geography. The Gradual is an exploration of what it is to be human, of time, relationships, and our own particularity.
Sandro's story is a bit like one of Haruki Murakami's novel in terms of plot- by turns scenic, romantic, fantastic and prosaic. The book, like music and the sea, has strong moods and cumulative power. The writing is tricky, reminiscent of Stanislaw Lem, somehow sounding translated. Easy to read, but requiring reader involvement.
Christopher Priest's book The Gradual is immaculate and teasing, set in a slightly different reality, narrated with precision and foreignness. The autobiographic tale of a talented musician, Sandro lives during a war which rages offscreen while he develops his music and gains world renown. Part of an international tour, he begins to explore the Archipelago, a collection of islands that make up much of his world, each island with its own culture and geography. The Gradual is an exploration of what it is to be human, of time, relationships, and our own particularity.
Sandro's story is a bit like one of Haruki Murakami's novel in terms of plot- by turns scenic, romantic, fantastic and prosaic. The book, like music and the sea, has strong moods and cumulative power. The writing is tricky, reminiscent of Stanislaw Lem, somehow sounding translated. Easy to read, but requiring reader involvement.