OUR TRAGIC UNIVERSE by Scarlett Thomas

(Guest Reviewer Michael McCormick)

This is an enjoyable book that can be read on several different levels.  The main theme is the story of Meg.  It describes her web of relationships, particularly those around Dartmouth.  Meg lives with Christopher, but is unsure whether this is a good thing or not.  She earns a living from a series of science fiction stories she has written as well as being part of a group of writers who publish under the name of Zeb Ross.  These all form distractions from her completing or even progressing with her novel.

Meg and her friends often muse on the nature of the story, from the very formal structures of Plato to the idea of a Zen story that has no beginning, middle or end and in fact no story.

Her life is also tied up with the mystical and mysterious.  These are embodied by the author Kelsey Newman, who suggests that we will all become eternal after the end of time, and the Beast of Dartmoor; real of metaphorical?

The novel is structured in two parts, each with sections of dialogue or Meg’s musings.  There is a conclusion of sorts.  As to whether she resolves her misgivings about Christopher; read the novel and see.

(Our Tragic Universe was provided by Totnes Bookshop)

THE CONCERT TICKET by Olga Grushin

Like a composer turning a single tune into a complex orchestral piece, Grushin takes a simple incident and presents it from many different facets.  A rumour that an exiled composer will return for a single concert; a kiosk where tickets might be sold; and a line of people waiting, just in case – day after week after month.  The story centres on one family: Anna and Sergei plus their son Sasha, who each have their own reason for wanting to buy a ticket.  We see their lives, hear their hopes and watch their dreams – of what was and what might be.  Other characters appear randomly, with no apparent relevance, but gradually connections become clear.

This is Grushin’s second novel and it is full of atmosphere and description.  It captures perfectly the mind-set and behaviour of twentieth-century Russians; beaten down by oppression, wary of authority but supported by great national and cultural pride.  It presents the same scenes from different perspectives, reminding us that our view of ourselves is not always the one others see.  This is a book about how people think and what makes them act as they do. 

This is not a fast-paced or action-packed book.  It is a gentle, thought-provoking read with moments of disappointment, moments of tragedy and moments of hope.  An enjoyable read, all the more so considering it is based on a real incident.

(The Concert Ticket was provided by Totnes Bookshop)