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lakserk's review
5.0
In one of his professional excursions Aubrey Winslade, young archaeologist and geographer, finds himself in the small village of his now deceased father. There, he discovers the existence of Vagabond Trust, a loose organization of people that wander (alone or in couples) the countryside of England without a home or stable job, people trying to live in a way other than the dominant one, also acting as oral repositories of lore and curios. Part of the Trust are also the Settler Safes, persons that, after passing from the Vagabond ranks decided to settle somewhere (usually in the outskirts of small villages); their houses are sanctuaries and places of temporary rest for wandering Vagabonds. Aubrey, experiencing the touch of the supernatural which follows his discovery of the Trust, and enchanted by this promise of another way of living, accepts the offer to become a Settler Safe; however, before settling he must spend a year wandering the land of Central and West England.
On a surface level, this novel is about Aubrey’s life, which spans most of the 20th century. We also see England and its history during that period, with an emphasis on the effects that post-war urbanization had on the countryside. Besides, this is a book about natural cycles (seasonal, life and death) but also a narration teeming with folklore: legends, beliefs, strange happenings, songs, all things that the protagonist gathered throughout his life. Thus, the book is a palimpsest: growing from the central plot there is a wealth of excerpts of local history and legends, philosophical musings, archaeological facts and many more. This heterogeneous quality inevitably affects the reading experience (for instance, I was somewhat tired by the history of Thrusford village, on the later pages) but the book as a whole is extremely well-crafted and solid. This may be due to what burns at the heart of it: the spirit of romanticism, the permeating sadness for what has been and what will be lost (forever?) which brings into mind the spirit of Tolkien’s works (love of nature is a common element in both writers), an unexpected but very welcome hope, the craving for a life with calmer and more humane rhythms, inscribed on these of nature; a life able to discern the whispers of the land and notice the glamour of its mythical paths.
PS: As a physical item the book is awe-inspiring, as is usual with Mount Abraxas press, and the number of typos is surprisingly small. An excellent artifact, possibly the best thing I read this year.
On a surface level, this novel is about Aubrey’s life, which spans most of the 20th century. We also see England and its history during that period, with an emphasis on the effects that post-war urbanization had on the countryside. Besides, this is a book about natural cycles (seasonal, life and death) but also a narration teeming with folklore: legends, beliefs, strange happenings, songs, all things that the protagonist gathered throughout his life. Thus, the book is a palimpsest: growing from the central plot there is a wealth of excerpts of local history and legends, philosophical musings, archaeological facts and many more. This heterogeneous quality inevitably affects the reading experience (for instance, I was somewhat tired by the history of Thrusford village, on the later pages) but the book as a whole is extremely well-crafted and solid. This may be due to what burns at the heart of it: the spirit of romanticism, the permeating sadness for what has been and what will be lost (forever?) which brings into mind the spirit of Tolkien’s works (love of nature is a common element in both writers), an unexpected but very welcome hope, the craving for a life with calmer and more humane rhythms, inscribed on these of nature; a life able to discern the whispers of the land and notice the glamour of its mythical paths.
PS: As a physical item the book is awe-inspiring, as is usual with Mount Abraxas press, and the number of typos is surprisingly small. An excellent artifact, possibly the best thing I read this year.
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