Iain Pears

John Stone, a man so wealthy that in the years before World War One he was able to manipulate markets, industries and indeed whole countries and continents, has been found dead in mysterious circumstances. His beautiful young widow commissions a journalist to carry out an unusual bequest in his will but as he begins his research he soon discovers a story far more complex than he could have ever imagined... As the story moves backwards through time, from London in 1909 to Paris in 1809, before concluding in Venice in 1867, the mystery of John Stone's life and loves begins to unravel. The result is a spellbinding novel that is both a quest for the truth, a love story that spans decades and a compelling murder mystery.

Stone's Fall

Stone's fall

Mary Rose Luksha

This is the first novel by Iain Pears that I have read, so I didn't know what to expect when I started, though I knew from reading his author's bio that he seems incredibly smart.

And smart he is. I love historical fiction because it gives me the opportunity to get engrossed in a story that has a real foundation and learn interesting things. Stone's Fall is an excellent insight into turn of the century England (the last century that is, not this one...wow that's weird to think about), and has a very wide scope in terms of subjects dealt with.

While the story itself is interesting, the stand-out feature of the book is its time structure. It begins at the end, essentially, and works its way backwards. So, and it's no surprise, John Stone falls to his death at the beginning of the book, and it isn't until the end when that scene is revisited that we understand the reasoning behind his fall.

I enjoyed the suspense of the characters, and the twists and turns that working back in time allowed him. There is a big reveal at the end of the book, and while the thought of it did cross my mind, I was still surprised that Pears went there.

I can understand criticisms of Pear's erudition, that it might make the book hard to get into at first, or maybe that he's showing off. However, I think that's a matter of personal taste. I'm a big fan of Umberto Eco, and I've found in some of his books you've got to read a hundred pages before the story takes off from its historical point, but in my opinion it's worth the wait.

Overall, when I finished the book, I had to sit and think about it, let it marinate in my head and figure out how little (what I thought were) throw away scenes in the book ended up having huge significance. I like that.

Pears has quickly become my favorite contemporary author. This work examines the link between human weakness and the role it plays in events that take place on a global scale. I suppose in that vein it's reminiscent of Tolstoy, though the comparisons should probably stop there. Immensely enjoyable, and, as all great books, this will give you a slight glimpse into your own vulnerabilities.

Stone's Fall

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