Wednesday, August 20, 2003
Title: The Earthquake Bird
Author: Susanna Jones
Publisher: Picador
Instead of being a seventh son, Lucy was a disappointment. A fact she was never allowed to forget as she was neglected or mistreated as a child. So when she was old enough Lucy was only too happy to get as far away from home as possible. For Lucy that means Japan, where she has been for 10 years now. so she is less than pleased by the arrival of Lily. An English girl who has run away, to find herself a stranger in a strange land. Lily sees Lucy as her saviour - a woman from the same part of England, who knows how things work here. For Lucy though Lily opens wounds, triggering memories she'd rather not have.
The Earthquake Bird starts with the arrest of Lucy for Lily's murder. From there the story unfolds in Lucy's head - locked in a cell and refusing to answer any of the police's questions. With this Lucy's character and history are built up. First meeting her Japanese boyfriend, starting her job and the like. The things from her past, dark moments which seem to implicate Lucy. The introduction of Lily and how despite it all they became friends. Susanna Jones pulls all the pieces together in her first novel so that we really don't know whether Lucy did kill Lily or not right up till the end.
The quotes on the back of the book promise a shocking conclusion. For me though the tone of the book is off-kilter enough that little seems surprising. Lucy refers to herself regularly in the third person, which seems curious. With that, our perceptions of what is going on are shaped by the way Lucy looks at the world. Overall I enjoyed The Earthquake Bird, the writing style is strong and readable. The mix of cultures provides an interesting backdrop, especially where it is ones that contrast so much, and where the character will never quite fit in.
RVWR: PTR
August 2003
