The Universe vs. Alex Woods: A Review

This is the second novel to be featured as part of the Waterstones 11 for 2013, a campaign that celebrates and highlights strong debuts from new authors. I must say, the panel that decided on the books for this list deserve a massive pat on the back, The Universe vs. Alex Woods is a beautiful and original book. I managed to get my grubby little paws on a reading copy that magically appeared on the proof shelf in the staff room. So first and foremost, thank you to Hodder for sending this one out, I loved reading it. Now, on with the review....

Alex Woods has lost nearly a month of his life, his memories have disappeared with no sign of their return. The reason? A freak accident where a meteorite shot from the sky, through the roof of Alex's home and struck him in the head, knocking him into a coma. This is the catalyst for massive changes in Alex's life. He takes time out of school to help him deal with frequent epileptic fits of varying degrees of severity and discovers he has a thirst for knowledge beyond that of any normal child. The plot thickens when he returns to school and has to learn the tyrannical rules of the playground and sadly he becomes the target of a trio of bullies. As a result of a stressful escape from his tormentors Alex meets Mr Peterson, an elderly widower, and then the story really gets going. These two form an unlikely and important friendship that takes the both of them on a journey about the importance of freedom of choice and the strength of human spirit.

Gavin Extence opens this gem of a novel with a scene from the narrative's finale in order to introduce us to the varied and charming protagonist that is Alex Woods, who also serves as the first person narrator. This opening is what got me hooked, you desperately want to discover why Alex is wanted by the police and why he has his best friend's ashes on the seat next to him when he is stopped at the Dover border on the way back into the U.K.  It also creates intrigue through the little snippets of information that Extence plops into the narration that he doesn't explain until later in the novel. He uses this clever little trick throughout because you have no doubt all will become clear, as it ultimately does. I honestly thought that a retrospective narrative would irritate me, but it works incredibly well in the telling of this story.

Alex is an astonishing character and you would have to have a heart made of stone if you don't end up caring for him and wanting the best for him, he becomes more and more real as the novel progresses. Alex provokes a deep sense of empathy and I appreciated his simple honesty, this is a protagonist that is not afraid to ask questions even if the answers are hard to understand. His friendship with Mr. Peterson enriches the story and his dedication to his old friend's wishes encourages us to question our own thoughts on how far we would go for our loved ones.

From Alex to Mr. Peterson, a stark contrast of characterisation. Peterson is a stubborn but kind and worldly wise man from Texas who writes letters to try and encourage the righting of some of the wrongs in the world, and he is a man with strong beliefs. Extence handles Peterson very well, as it is this character that introduces the most moving theme of the novel and arguably the most important situation for Alex to overcome. 

It is hard to discuss the taboo theme of euthanasia in any capacity, but I can say with confidence, that Extence handles this subject with the utmost respect and in admirably good taste. This is a subject that comes up time and time again for debate in contemporary media and Extence actually uses the media towards the end of the novel to express the more negative views on the procedure. It is worth noting that although euthanasia is the matter at hand, it is made very clear that it is more about a person's freedom to choose and I was so pleased to find that the writing wasn't too bogged down by this moving and thought provoking subject. 

What I did love was the description of playground politics, and it's exceptional accuracy. I was teleported back in time to my own school days, when it was all about what designer sports wear you owned and how kids were ostracised depending on their interests or the way you carried your backpack. Alex is made a victim of this fickle exclusion and he actually seems to become a stronger person for it. There is a scene in which he is called to the head teacher's office along with one of his tormentors after a very public incident on the school bus. The dialogue and narrative that ensues is outstanding and I laughed out loud when Alex finally said exactly what he was thinking. This scene in particular is a ripe example of Extence's skill in creating a high level of tension and offering perfectly timed comic relief. This is by far my favourite chapter in the book and it's an important turning point for Alex's personal development. 

It is hard to believe that this is a debut, the story is sound, the writing almost poetic in places yet still what I would consider an easy read. You never get lost and the characters are extremely memorable, I never felt like I had to go back over parts of the book when I picked it back up to read. This is a real achievement and the careful balance of humour and drama is what makes this an all rounder, I can well believe that just about anyone could easily enjoy The Universe vs. Alex Woods. 

If you are a fan of discovering new and exciting fiction, have a peek at this year's full list of Waterstones 11 titles. There is something for everyone on the list.

Angelmaker by Nick Harkaway: A Review

This unusual and slightly obscure novel grabbed my undivided attention when it appeared in the Waterstones Book Club list at work alongside 11 other novels vying for my readership. Why did it stand out? Well how could I resist a book that promised me mad monks, a doomsday device and as a quote on the cover says "pure unhinged delight"? Clearly I couldn't and I was not disappointed, Angelmaker is a thrill ride deserving of its many gushing reviews featured in and outside of the cover. 

Enter Joe Spork, a man trying to escape his father's criminal shadow by repairing clockwork and desperately seeking the quiet life. He is asked to repair a one of a kind, unknown device and is henceforth plunged into a world of violence, corruption and a plan to unravel life as we know it. Joe's tale is helped along by the back story of the mysterious and elderly Edie Banister, a woman with more to hide than your average pensioner. Throw in some hardy, golden clockwork bees, a disgruntled, blind pug and a crazed dictator seeking immortality and you have a tale that will stop you in your tracks and demand you read on.

This is the sort of novel that is almost impossible to review because of its ambitious scope and the achievement the author has made in writing such an intricate, involved novel. The story runs like one of the complex clockwork devices contained within. 

It is easy to imagine that Nick Harkaway lives in the crazy world that is Angelmaker. Everything is beautifully (or gruesomely where necessary) imagined using realism sprinkled with the fantastic. You never doubt this world is real, and to be honest I really wished it was. I would have loved to travel on the Lovelace, a steam train that hits high speeds and is more advanced than any train you could possibly imagine and to travel to the depths of the ocean with a merry crew of Ruskinites. The world seems so real that time passes far too quickly when you are reading, this novel devours time because it is hard to put down and return to reality. 

This is a tale that challenges the very notion of genre, as soon as you begin to think you are being submerged into a sci fi steampunk world you are swiftly whisked away by a thrilling spy novel and then smoothly dropped into a coming of age yarn. I loved this and it is perhaps why this is not a predictable tale, generic conventions get tossed away willy nilly. I also enjoyed the literary edge this novel has, it is not trashy in the slightest (an unusual choice for me). 

The characters are a mixed bunch, all of them are well formed and believable and there are a hell of a lot of them as the novel progresses. Joe is the main focus and his journey alongside his personal development is brilliant. He unravels his true nature one small piece at a time and the end result is startling. Even though Joe's journey is fraught with torture, loss and corruption he comes out the other end as a powerful, terrifying man, as far from the life he thought he wanted as he can get. Edie also deserves a mention, she is, in the narrative present, an astute old lady with a past that is completely unexpected. Edie's troubled history of espionage and love is the driving force for Joe's present. 

By far my favourite character is the barbarous Bastion, Edie's formidable pet pug. At first sight he is seemingly harmless, what with his two pink glass eyes and his one lonely tooth but anyone would be a fool to cross him. Bastion is loyal, ferocious and absolutely adorable. I was also taken with the baby war elephant, another mammal you would be wise to leave well alone. 

Every madcap apocalyptic novel needs a super villain and Shem Shem Tsien is one of the maddest, baddest nut jobs to be set loose in the world of literature. He is cold, calculating and perversely cruel, Harkaway makes sure to give him not a single redeeming feature and he is easy to hate. Shem Shem Tsien is everyone's worst nightmare that keeps coming back for more. The battle of wills between him and Joe as the novel draws to a close is tense and gripping in a jaw dropping fashion. 

I only have a single complaint, I struggled with one part of the narrative. Joe is imprisoned for a time in a ward where he is constantly tortured for information. I felt myself drifting off at points here, not because of the torture but because the writing wasn't quite so smooth and delightful as it is throughout the rest of the novel. But this is only a small chunk, pivotal to the story, so an easy niggle to overlook in light of its crucial relevance. 

This is a long novel deserving of the commitment needed to finish it and upon completion I was delighted to discover that Angelmaker ties up every loose end neatly in a bow, an impressive feat considering the vast scope of this novel.

I can't recommend this enough as you can probably tell from my gushing review, I can appreciate this is not for everyone but it hit all of my sweet spots. It reminded me of China Mieville and Neil Gaiman in places so I would image if you are fans of these two sci fi/fantasy behemoths you are likely to enjoy this book as much as I did.