BOOK REVIEW:
There are many ways of telling stories. Sometimes, a lousy
story can be saved by good story-telling. But when a fine
story is accompanied by fine story-telling, it makes readers
turn every page with delight.
This
1995 novel by Christopher Priest captures that, well, to put
it aptly, magic.
The
story: Two magicians battle their wits and intellects in Victorian
England. Throw in complications in the form of double identities,
family curses, machineries and a mad scientist, and presto,
you have a good concoction fit for any avid reader.
The
story-telling method: Told through four different characters,
you’d understand each one’s troubles and struggles.
The amazing thing is - these stories arise from the uncovering
of two journals dated 1878 by two people from the modern times.
And through their accounts, readers also get a glimpse into
the two journals. The final fifth section of the 404-page
book sums up the intriguing story.
And
that’s where you’d go “orhhhh”.
How
appropriate to conclude the novel like this, because the title
of this 1996 World Fantasy Award winner refers to the third
section of the three-part act (following The Pledge and The
Turn) of any magic illusion, where the audience would open
their mouths in awe and wonder at the trick presented before
their eyes.
The
segment that stands out the most is magician Rupert Angier’s
section, where the story is told in diary-style. Complete
with dates and typical diary one-liners, this section forms
the bulk of the novel, and rightly so, because of how engaging
it is.
The
rest of the book fairs well too, because of its interestingly
entertaining style of writing. You’d be captivated at
how certain magic tricks are written down in step-by-step
instructional manner, and how the names of these illusions
have important-sounding names like “The Transported
Man” and “The Fish Bowl”.
While
the intrigue level is high for a story like this, you may
also often be smiling at the lightheartedness of certain portions
of the novel too.
The
master of dark and moody movies Christopher Nolan has adapted
this book into a movie starring the brooding Christian Bale
and the charismatic Hugh Jackman. If there is some enchantment
in this world yet, it may just turn viewers of the movie into
fans of the novel.
CHOICE
XCERPT:
“Magicians protect their secrets not because the secrets
are large and important, but because they are so small and
trivial. The wonderful effects created on stage are often
the result of a secret so absurd that the magician would be
embarrassed to admit that that was how it was done.”
VERDICT:
Read
the book before watching the movie. Or go enjoy the movie
before picking up this novel. Either way, you’d be captivated.
Review
by John Li
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