English Passengers
Ratings5
Average rating4
15
Ratings5
Average rating4
"English Passengers is an old-fashioned book in the best sense: epic in scale, crammed with outsize characters, set in a long-ago time and a faraway place... 'A-'"--Entertainment Weekly"Robust and rollicking...unforgettable...It's tough to pull off a memorable epic, but Kneale has done it. So get comfortable, and be prepared to enter a fascinating world."--New York PostWhen Captain Illiam Quillian Kewley and his band of rum smugglers from the Isle of Man have most of their contraband--but not all--confiscated by British Customs, they are forced to put their ship Sincerity up for charter. The only takers are two eccentric Englishmen who want to embark for the other side of the globe.The Reverend Geoffrey Wilson believes the Garden of Eden was on the island of Tasmania. His traveling partner, Dr. Thomas Potter, unbeknownst to Wilson, is developing a revolutionary, and sinister, thesis of his own, about the races of men. And these passengers are perhaps only slightly more odd than the crew itself, a diverse and lively bunch better equipped to entertain one another than to steer Sincerity around Cape Horn and across the Indian Ocean. Yet they set sail, pointed southward and bound for a thrilling, epic romp across the high seas and cultures of the nineteenth century.Meanwhile, an aboriginal in Tasmania named Peevay recounts his people's struggles against the invading British, who prove as lethal in their good intentions as in their cruelty. This is no Eden but a world of hunting parties and colonial ethnic cleansing. As the English passengers haplessly approach Peevay's land, their bizarre notions ever more painfully at odds with reality, we know a mighty collision is looming.Full of dangerous humor, English Passengers combines wit, adventure, and harrowing historical detail in a mesmerizing display of storytelling. Narrated by over twenty different characters, each one so distinct that the reader has the sense of a story not so much told as dazzlingly peopled, Matthew Kneale has created a buoyant tale, beautifully presented in a storm of voices that brings a past age to vivid and memorable life.From the Hardcover edition.
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Originally posted on the Motley Fool UK Bookclub board
I'll start off by saying that I enjoyed the book, and enjoyed the feeling of being part of the [Motley Fool UK] book club. I wouldn't have read this book otherwise.
Narration
I found the style of narration easier to follow than I expected. Then again, a multi-person narrative isn't uncommon in the fantasy genre which is where I'm usually to be found. Such narratives generally lead to a more-favoured and less-favoured but in the case of this book, there weren't really any narratives that I dreaded. If I had to pick a more- and less-favoured, the former would be Peevay and the latter, Potter. More on that to follow.
I think the author had to do a little toying with time in order to bring the narratives together and it seemed a little contrived to me. Jack Harp's demise was a bit sudden and the minor thread pertaining to the prison system seemed to vanish. I guess they were minor parts and supplemented the story both in terms of its plot and to add a bit of historical significance.
Characters
The three English Passengers were quite obviously caricatures with little depth to them but they played their parts well: Wilson on the “religious” end of the scale, Potter on the “scientific” and Renshaw sort of in the middle. I agree with Greatrakes that Renshaw could have had more to do. He should at least have been given a bit more airtime to allow us to see an Englishman's view of the other two.
I found that Potter's style of narration gave a good impression of the sort of character he was, but it did get annoying to read.
The scene with Potter and Wilson battling it out on the ship's pulpit was a particular favourite of mine and showed just how ridiculous both characters were. Potter got his just desserts, with his remains being showed at the exhibition; I found that to be most satisfactory for the reader.
Wilson did seem to have a bit more depth than the other two but not much; it was funny to note that his “unselfish” wife encouraged him on his quest - no doubt she couldn't see the back of him quick enough!
The Manxmen were my favourite characters in the book, although for a crew who were as unfamiliar with a ship as they were at the beginning, they seemed to handle such a long voyage with some ease.
The Manxmen's attitude towards the English was well done.
I found Peevay's style of narration quite endearing and him a likeable fellow. I think it was a good choice to make the spokesman of the natives a half-caste as it showed from the outset the horror of what the colonials did.
Overall, I found myself strangely compelled to read this book and I got through it quicker than I thought I would. That said, it's now two or so weeks since I finished it and it's not a book that will remain in my mind as one of my favourites but I'm glad to have read it. It's a shame my location means that I have to buy each book rather than borrow it as this one will take up shelf space and I'm quite sure I won't read it again.
The main thing I'd say I got from the book was an idea of a part of history about which I knew absolutely nothing. If the conversation of the history of Tasmania ever comes up, I'll now be able to hold my own! Or indeed, a Trivial Pursuit question about the former name of Tasmania!
