The Rook: A Novel
Daniel O'Malley
Let's get this out of the way:
Daniel O'Malley went to both Michigan
State and The Ohio State,
but, strangely, The Rook does not, as
a friend suggested it might, burn me when I touch it. Rather, I found myself so
enveloped by the fantastic world and tolerably executed- if not particularly
groundbreaking- narrative that I was hooked even after I discovered the
treachery. Sure, the book feels a bit derivative, dipping into waters tested
and explored by the X-Men, among other influences, but O'Malley's book takes a
fresh view of a humanity populated in part by those with special powers, not
least through his use of amnesia as a driving plot device. While the particular
mechanics of this amnesia may be a bit inconsistent- why, for example, does our
narrator, Myfanwy, know how to operate in the world but not who she is or where
she works?- they provide a handy mechanism by which the author can explain various
facets of the secret organization that drives the plot, as well as its history
and recent development. The device causes some interesting narrative diversions
as these facts are revealed from the narrator's former self through a series of
letters, and though it occasionally becomes merely tiresome plot exposition,
the narrator's outsider feel makes the reader feel similarly comfortable and
disoriented, to great effect. The effect may be occasionally clumsy, but one
feels inclined to give O'Malley the credit he is due for seeking a unique and
mostly effective solution. Nor can its effect on the reader's sympathies and
experience of the book be ignored; Myfanwy's name may be nearly
unpronounceable, but readers can sympathize with her disorientation, which acts
as a kind of buffer while driving the plot forward. It also makes the character
instantly admirable and gives the plot depth beyond its surface Britain-under-attack
strains as Myfanwy negotiates a subtly done nature-versus-nurture subplot of
self-(re?)discovery. The narrative device becomes an effective way to prompt
and explore character development, lending a bit of depth to an otherwise
standard surface setup and plot. These are well-executed, if unoriginal, and
though there is the slightest hint of deus-ex-machina to the whole thing, The Rook is quite a fun ride, with just
the right amount of depth to surpass standard sci-fi and fantasy.
Grade: A
No comments:
Post a Comment