The Report by Jessica Francis Kane

A novel of great potential and one so well recieved…so why did it fall so short of expectations?

 When I first came across this book and read its synopsis I have to admit I was left feeling a little ashamed. Why had I never heard about the tragic event that took place at the Bethnal Green tube station during WW2? When 173 people were killed in mass suffocation whilst making their way into the tube station turned air raid shelter, this on a night when not one bomb was realised in the area.

Indeed this was the worst civilian accident to happen in WW2 so my ignorance surrounding the event shocked me and certainly compelled me to learn more about this event. However thanks to Jessica Francis Kane’s well researched novel I was soon reading about one of the most shocking tragedies to come out of the war.

The book goes back to the night in question when a community of people hardened and used to the traumas of war made their way to their local air raid shelter in the underground. However this night something went wrong, a staggering number of people were killed in a mass crush.

But why when they were so adapt to air raids? Was it mass hysteria? Did someone, as the persistent rumours keep suggesting, push another person? Or were unannounced anti aircraft weapons being tested that night, setting of the crowd?

Throughout the book this story is told in an intermittent fashion switching from past to present. In the past we join a younger Laurence Dunne. Dunne is a magistrate who was actually given the responsibility at the time of the accident of compiling the report that explained the events that lead to this tragedy.

We follow Dunne throughout much of the story on his journey of interviewing not only the survivors of the accident but also medical experts, police officers and air raid shelter wardens who were involved in the accident in Bethnal Green.

We meet characters like Ada Barber, a mother who loses her daughter whilst trying to protect both of her children on this fatal night. We see the after affects upon the shelters local warden who was in charge, and the pressure felt by the communities priest who is trying to give his people the guidance to deal with this ordeal.

Flashing forward to the present day Dunne is still a prominent figure in the book. However he is now an older man, left to muse on the iconic report that he produced.

When a young man named Paul Barber turns up on his doorstep though, asking Dunne to participate in a retrospective TV documentary about the accident and his report, Dunne is faced with re visiting old events.

The book continues to switch like this and we begin to witness Dunne’s motivations in writing the report and the complex moral questions that presented themselves throughout.

Not only is the book informative is it also thought provoking. It asks us lots of questions about how a community who have survived so much devastation should deal with this pain. Who is to blame? Should anyone be blamed in fact? Or should everyone try and stand together, accept their individual role within the tragedy?

The novel displays the complexities of all of these questions and it shows just how desperate people will be to make sense of such an unfathomable incident.

These are the things that the novel did well for me. However there were disappointedly, things that it did not do so well.

I didn’t connect well with most of the novels characters. I actually felt very detached and removed from the book and it’s events. Although of the characters their suffering is displayed for us and is conceivable, yet I felt I was only seeing it and not truly feeling it.

The character of Paul was a source of great frustration for me. Firstly he greatly interested me and I found his stance in the book as a survivor living in the present day very intriguing. How frustrating I found it then when we saw such little glimpses of him in the book. I was hoping for a more in depth portrayal of his character, a greater insight to his reaction to the war. Instead I felt I’d barley met him.

I’ve reflected a lot on this book since finishing it and I have wondered if perhaps Kane felt the subject matter spoke for itself and was tragic and sad enough on its own; without the need for sub plots, poetic language and deep human portrayals. The things that I felt were missing in the book.

But then if the theme of the book is strong enough then when did I still feel detached and removed from what I was reading? Why weren’t my emotions stirred more?

That said I would still suggest you give this book a try. I did like the thoughts that it evoked in me and the way it had me considering similar tragedies of this kind in a new light. Kane has an influence that is not imposing but is certainly provoking.

I would love to hear your thoughts on this book as my own reaction was so mixed. Did you have similar problems to me in connecting with the book? Or did you find it touching and easy to fall into?

6.5/10

One Book, Two Book, Three Book, Four…and Five

I’ve decided to join in the fun with Simon at Stuck in a book and his wonderful recent post where he listed The book he was currently reading, the last book he finished, the next book he wanted to read, the last book he bought, and the last book he was given. Simon asked other bloggers to join in too and post the books they were reading, had received and wanted to read. I’ve had great fun reading everyone else’s post and have decided to share with you mine.

1, The book I’m currently reading

The Report by Jessica Francis Kane was kindly loaned to me by the lovely Simon at Savidge Reads. It’s a book I’ve been desperate to get my hands on and is part of my May Mission of books that I hope to read this month. I’ve heard great things about this book so my hopes are high. I’ve just started reading it so it’s far to early to say but so far the book has me very intrigued and seems (fingers crossed) like the sort of thing I usually relish.

 

 

2, The last book I finished

The last book I finished was The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde. This book was part of one of the book groups I take part in and I’m very much looking forward to sharing my thoughts with you regarding this one. As I said it’s part of a book group I’m currently in so I’ll wait for our catch up to discuss the book before I actually post anything on here. I really enjoyed the book though and am desperate to meet up with the other members of the book group to talk about it.

 

 

3, The next book I want to read

After recently acquiring a copy of One Day by David Nicholls at a steal of a price from my local charity shop it’s now top of my TBR list. The book was initially recommended to me by a friend with whom I share similar tastes. I’ve read and heard great things about this book so I’m really keen to start it. Plus I feel like lately I only read books by female writers so this should be a perfect way to get out of this habit. Lets hope it lives up to my high expectations.

 

 

4, The last book I bought

 Maybe a little ironically as I just moaned I don’t read enough books by male writers, the last book I bought was Solar by Ian Mcewan. Although it’s not so much my purchasing habits that’s being the problem and more the books I ‘ve being choosing to read lately. Anyway hopefully this will put an end to my recent rut. I’m a huge Ian Mcewan fan to say the least, Atonement being my all time favourite. I’ve being meaning to get round to reading this for a while and now that I finally have a copy I have no excuses.

 

 

5, The last book I was given

And finally the last book I was given was The Return by Victoria Hislop. I read her first novel ‘The Island’ years ago and although it wasn’t the usual thing I go for I did really enjoy it so I’m keen to see how I’ll feel about this book. It was my friend who loaned it to me and she actually read The Return first. She’s reading The Island very soon and I can’t wait to hear her thoughts on it. I can’t wait for us to both discuss The Island and The Return so I’d better get reading.

So that’s it, the books I’ve bought, being given, want to read, have just read and the last book I bought. Have you read any of these books? Are there only on here that you have any thoughts on? Perhaps you would like to tell me which books you recently bought, read, want to read etc… As always I’d love to hear your thoughts and if you’ve done your own list on your blog then please send me the link. Thanks again to Simon for the great idea.

April Rounded Up and May’s Mission

Coming back to work this morning I suddenly realised that it was the 3rd of May!! Where does the time go? Another month has passed and with it some great reading too. So I thought it only right to share with you the books I’ve read and loved this month and to tell you about some of the incoming books that I endeavour to read in the month of May.

I started off April reading the wonderful Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro, a book which I’m sure you can tell I absolutely adored. Never Let Me Go was the perfect way to kick start my April reading spree and to set my expectations high for the rest of the books I intended to read. Looking back now I think it was possibly my most enjoyable read of April and certainly one of the most moving.

The next book I chose was Sleeping With Mozart by Anthea Church, a book rather different in style, genre and effect to what I usually pick. It was however a wonderful book to read, without a doubt it shook up my reading habits in April, adding I think a little more diversity to the mix. Which on another thought got me thinking that I really need to mix up my reading choices more often. I was so pleasantly surprised to enjoy Sleeping With Mozart that I have endeavoured in the up and coming months to try previously ignored genres. Is there anything that you would recommend? I’ve being thinking of trying more crime fiction and recently this year I did come across Linwood Barclay’s No Time for Goodbye and loved it, perhaps you have read other books by Barclay that you would recommend? or maybe you can suggest some other great crime fiction books?

However I digress. My third book of April was Grace Williams Says it Loud by Emma Henderson, a book that I was highly anticipating and one that I will be posting a review of very soon so please stay tuned for that. It certainly blew me away and was very thought provoking so I look forward to telling you more about it soon.

Sadly from here my reading levels seemed to decrease a little and despite, or maybe in spite of the bank holidays I only fully read these three books. I did however start The Eyre Affair by Fforde for a book group I’m in and I’m just about finished that so please check in for a review very shortly. So far, given how much I am enjoying it, it looks set to be a positive review.

Now onto my reading mission for May which is quite a large list so fingers crossed I’ll get through it all. The books range from recently acquired charity shop steals to books kindly handed to me by friends. First up I will of course endeavour to finish the Eyre Affair by Ffordes. The Red Queen by Philippa Gregory is also high up on my list of books to read in May. I’m a huge Philippa Gregory so this is a book I have fairly high hopes for. Are you a Gregory fan? have you read The Red Queen and would you recommend it?

I have also kindly being loaned a copy of The Report by Jessica Francis Kane, this was loaned to me by the lovely Simon at Savidge Reads. This book has been on my TBR list for a while so I’m thrilled to have my hands on a copy and can’t wait to read it.

I was also sent a coy of Tresspass by Rose Tremain by my lovely mother in Newcastle and while it wasn’t a book I’d heard off it was recommended by Richard and Judy and I nearly always seem to enjoy the books they recommend so I can’t wait to get stuck into it.

Annabel by Kathleen Winter is high at the top of my reading list for May with a mix of great reviews I’ve read of it and its short listing for the Orange Prize boosting it to the top of my TBR list. It’s the same with The Tigers Wife by Tea Obreht a book that I have also read some high praising reviews for and which is another nominee for the Orange Short list this year. Having read the synopsis I think this book could be a real treat.

So that’s a round-up of the books I read in April and the ones I intend to read in May. Which of the books from both categories have you read? Is there anything from either that you really loved, or hated? Or is there anything you would recommend from my May mission list? Perhaps there’s another book entirely that you think I should read? I’d love to hear your thoughts as always.