No Dominion
1 journaler for this copy...
Got in the post today from a UK bookmoocher.
Bloody brilliant. Heartbreaking and gut wrenching. Addictive. Just so, so good. I have had a bit of a Welsh binge this February and worked my way quickly through her plague times trilogy. She ends with a really good one, but oh how I wish there were more. But of course the best place to end is on a high note.
This one is set in Scotland, 7 years after the first two books. We're back up on the Orkney islands where Magnus hailed from - and he did get back home- and where Stevie ended up and became elected president of the Orkneys. The community is muddling along, children rescued from the devastation of the sweats are now in their teens, and there are even post-sweats children. Then "something" happens, and some of the teens are lured off the islands. Worse they kidnap a toddler, and I found this to be the most gutwrenching of the story lines, just how scared that little girl must have been... and how devastating for the mother. But Welsh, in considering how society would try to rebuild itself, and what would be seen as a commodity, has chilling explanations for all that goes on.
So, Stevie and Magnus set off to rescue the kids, and travel down through Scotland to reach Glasgow where they learn the group was heading. And they see how the rest of the country is faring, areas ruled by jolly-upper class dictators who rule with fear and repression; other towns that have turned to religion in a very Old Testament way. And Glasgow, with its wild packs of rabid dogs and its attempt to rebuild itself with questions over slavery. Life is so precious, and yet it is treated so cheap, and the values of before aren't upheld in quite the same way. Paedophiles can take advantage of the confusion of the next generation of youngsters, people can be treated as slaves, or even goods to be bartered with. Women, unsurprisingly, come off worst, being viewed as precious little more than breeding stock, or gang-rape objects that will be tossed aside and killed after the deed is done. In many cases it looks like humanity died with most of humanity. And yet there is still hope, and decent people (love Stevie - although I have to admit my mental image of her ended up being a young Stevie Nicks kicking arse in her 70s get up *** not at all how Welsh described her, I'll add, my brain just goes down some weird channels***) and love and family bonds drive people to amazing bravery, when you see what Stevie and Magnus go through to try and find the children.
This one is set in Scotland, 7 years after the first two books. We're back up on the Orkney islands where Magnus hailed from - and he did get back home- and where Stevie ended up and became elected president of the Orkneys. The community is muddling along, children rescued from the devastation of the sweats are now in their teens, and there are even post-sweats children. Then "something" happens, and some of the teens are lured off the islands. Worse they kidnap a toddler, and I found this to be the most gutwrenching of the story lines, just how scared that little girl must have been... and how devastating for the mother. But Welsh, in considering how society would try to rebuild itself, and what would be seen as a commodity, has chilling explanations for all that goes on.
So, Stevie and Magnus set off to rescue the kids, and travel down through Scotland to reach Glasgow where they learn the group was heading. And they see how the rest of the country is faring, areas ruled by jolly-upper class dictators who rule with fear and repression; other towns that have turned to religion in a very Old Testament way. And Glasgow, with its wild packs of rabid dogs and its attempt to rebuild itself with questions over slavery. Life is so precious, and yet it is treated so cheap, and the values of before aren't upheld in quite the same way. Paedophiles can take advantage of the confusion of the next generation of youngsters, people can be treated as slaves, or even goods to be bartered with. Women, unsurprisingly, come off worst, being viewed as precious little more than breeding stock, or gang-rape objects that will be tossed aside and killed after the deed is done. In many cases it looks like humanity died with most of humanity. And yet there is still hope, and decent people (love Stevie - although I have to admit my mental image of her ended up being a young Stevie Nicks kicking arse in her 70s get up *** not at all how Welsh described her, I'll add, my brain just goes down some weird channels***) and love and family bonds drive people to amazing bravery, when you see what Stevie and Magnus go through to try and find the children.
