Title: One
Author: Conrad Williams
Genre: Horror
Publisher: Virgin Books
Publication Date: 2 April 2009
Paperback: 363 pages
Rating: 6/10
Summary (Goodreads)
This is now. This is you. And surviving is only the beginning.
The land is a scorched sprawl of rubble and corpses. A strange glittering dust coats everything and the dust hides a terrible secret. New horrors are taking root. Survivor Richard Jane crosses a burned and battered country in search of his son — his one hope.
Review:
One by Conrad Williams is about one mans journey to find his son following an apocalyptic event. The United Kingdom is a scorched and desolate place, covered with a glittering dust, rubble and corpses.
The book is broken into two parts and the opening first few chapters are just pure brilliance. The pace was fast and the characters vivid. It wet my appetite for what was going to be something special, or so I thought.
After the first few intense and profound chapters the pace slowed to a virtual stop. The main protagonist, Richard Jane, realising that an extinction level event had taken place, begins his journey to London on foot to find his son. The journey to London is at least two thirds of the book, and goes on for far too long. It is this section of the book that, for me, didn’t really work. I found it difficult to connect with Jane and although this book is written in the third person narrative, we didn’t get to hear the voices of any of the other characters. It would have worked better if the narrative was in the first person, then maybe I would have been able to identify with the main character more.
When Jane and his two companions finally get to London, the second part of the book begins. It jumps a decade into the future and in my eyes begins the best part of the novel (other than the beginning). However, as with pages preceding there are more questions than answers, and Williams leaves us hanging on to find out what happened to the world and to his son. It was frustrating rather than a page turner. I am all for keeping the reader in suspense and anticipation but this was too much. It was just plain frustrating and so became annoying.
The most tangible aspect of One was Jane’s love for his son, Stanley, and his relentless search for him against the hard truth of reality. The visual imagery that Williams gives us of the post apocalyptic world is vivid and realistic, and this is something Williams does superbly throughout the book. Jane’s memories and thoughts about his son are touching but unfortunately, although understandable, become monotonous and too sentimental – a quote from the book where Jane is thinking of his son, ”I miss you so much. Do you know, there’s a little Stan-shaped hole right in the middle of my heart? Maybe there’s a Daddy shaped one in the middle of yours…” I’m sorry, but am I reading a horror novel??
There are many excellent scenes in the book and one of my favourites is where the women are giving birth. I wont give too much away but it is horrific, nauseating and just what a horror novel should be. The creatures, called the Skinners are pretty foul and probably as close to zombies as Williams wanted them to be.
As I read through the chapters there were remnants of The Rising, by Brian Keene and I Am Legend, by Richard Matheson, but unlike both of these horror novels, this novel didn’t really keep my attention. I understand that Williams was trying to keep his story fresh and not rehash old ground, but it lacked the tension and the despair of I Am Legend and the gut wrenching terror I felt when reading The Rising, and it certainly didn’t give me nightmares, which for me, is a requisite when reading horror.
However, what I really like about Williams is his writing. It is very edgy, very raw and very British. I did enjoy One, to a point, but its not a favourite.
I finished the book at the weekend and decided to give this author another go as I really did like his writing style. So I went out and bought the novel that preceded this one, The Umblemished, which won the International Horror Guilds Best Novel award and received favourable reviews from The Guardian and The Times. Maybe I will like this one more. I will let you know!
This book was purchased by me.
4 Comments
Oh i want to add this to my Friday Finds so I do not forget it. This is a must read for me!
I'll mention you of course! Thanks!
Hey, mind if I tag you for What's on your Desk Wednesday? You don't have to do it, so, no pressure!
Catch you soon. I love the British aspect of ONE and of course the apocalyptic adventure.
Sassy
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Great review! Can't wait to hear what you think of The Unblemished. Also, I have nominated you for the Kreativ Blogger award. Come over to my page and get your award!
http://abookloversdiary.blogsp.....award.html
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Sassy – I would definitely recommend reading One, let me know what you thought of it when you're done. Of course you can tag me. I didn't realise you had to tag 5 people as well. I will do that in tomorrows meme
Jessica – thanks! I will definitely be posting a review of Unblemished when I'm done. Maybe a couple of weeks though as I have lots of books to read before then. Thanks for the award and for stopping by
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Interestingly, most reviewers seem to have preferred the first part to the second, myself included.
JAStewart.
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