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51st out of 56 books
—
5 voters
A Change Of Climate
Ralph and Anna Eldred are an exemplary couple, devoting themselves to doing good. Thirty years ago as missionaries in Africa, the worst that could happen did. Shattered by their encounter with inexplicable evil, they returned to England, never to speak of it again. But when Ralph falls into an affair, Anna finds no forgiveness in her heart, and thirty years of repressed ra...more
Published
(first published March 31st 1994)
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One of those great books that is hard to recommend. This is a pretty detailed family saga spanning several generations and although the details accumulate and build to a satisfying ending sequence, they seem to weigh the book down at times. To summarize briefly without giving away too much, some pretty awful stuff happens to a family of do-gooders. If you do read this, avoid looking at any of the plot descriptions. The effect Mantel achieves in leading us to and finally revealing an unspoken eve...more
In A Change Of Climate Hilary Mantel presents what is essentially a family saga, but in settings that add extra dimensions to the expected dilemmas. The family in question is the Eldreds. Ralph and Anna have shared an unusual if not an altogether unconventional married life. They have spent time in Africa as missionaries. They have devoted their time to helping others less advantaged than themselves. Ralph runs a charitable trust in Norfolk in the east of England. But they have also found the ti...more
The book "A change of climate", is a great story of human nature and sorrow. The book is the equivalent of a sitcom, taking place mostly at the household of the main family with occasional glance at the past. It drives deep into the question of "how much grief and sorrow can someone endure emotionally". Ralph and Anna Eldred are a recently married civilized couple in 19th century england. They are proper christian loving citizens and are ready to do their part in the world. They go to South Afri...more
There is no doubt that Hilary Mantel is an important contemporary writer. I’ve read two of her books and thought they were very special: “Fludd” and “Eight Months on Ghazzah Street.” If I were to review them today I’d probably rate them four stars.
It was with a great deal of anticipation that I picked up her 1994 novel “A Change of Climate.” And, it was with equal disappointment that I finally finished it and put it down.
The book is a sprawling saga where Good goes head to head with Evil and lo...more
It was with a great deal of anticipation that I picked up her 1994 novel “A Change of Climate.” And, it was with equal disappointment that I finally finished it and put it down.
The book is a sprawling saga where Good goes head to head with Evil and lo...more
One of the finest novels I have ever read. It follows the lives of Anna and Ralph Eldred, newly married and off to South Africa as lay missionaries. Apartheid is at its height, and the couple runs afoul of the authorities. They are deported to neighbouring Beuchuanaland, where an event of almost unimaginable horrow sees them return to England where Ralph takes over the running of a chartitable trust founded by his father. Their lives, though dedicated to good deeds, are tainted by the memory of...more
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I had never read anything by this author before and other than knowing she had won the Booker for Wolf Hall I knew nothing about her.
The book is about two people, Ralph and Anna Eldred, their marriage, their lifelong work with charities, and the decisions they made at key stages of their lives and how these impacted on them and others. It is essentially about the complexities and trials of being human and how decisions made on our journey though life impact on our lives and the lives of those c...more
The book is about two people, Ralph and Anna Eldred, their marriage, their lifelong work with charities, and the decisions they made at key stages of their lives and how these impacted on them and others. It is essentially about the complexities and trials of being human and how decisions made on our journey though life impact on our lives and the lives of those c...more
This is my new favorite Mantel (every one of her books becomes my favorite right after I read it). One of her non-historical novels, it's set in 1970's Apartheid S. Africa and in England in the 1990's. Almost anything I say of the plot is too much, so I'll say very little: A young missionary couple goes to S. Africa in the seventies and something almost unspeakably horrifying happens to them there. Like the good Britons they are, they come back to the UK with the past buried deep. But twenty yea...more
I see another reader (John) on goodreads wrote something akin to 'Another great book that is difficult to recommend.' How true. Because this is a brilliant book, that will stick with me for years. It is powerful, on so many levels. Discussions around tables could go on for hours on the themes and ideas being toyed and teased. Yet, with quiet family drama, Mantel pokes at so much emotion, slithering in and striking where it hurts the most - it isn't exactly the type of book you wrap up and stick...more
My first Hilary Mantel, been meaning to read one of hers for quite a while. My expectations were high as Ive heard and read so many good things about her books so initially I was a bit deflated with the first couple of chapters. I was a bit disorientated about which characters were going to be central in the novel..I wanted to know what and who the novel was about, was it going to be Emma, Felix and Ginny and their love triangle ? But then the reader was brought into the world of Ralph and Anna....more
I absolutely loved this book: a family in England dedicated to doing good is touched by evil while working in Africa as missionaries 20 years ago, and the ways that the experience hang over and influence their family through grief, healing, and love.
The characterizations of the children, their parents, and the ways they interact with each other were perfect and remarkably authentic. The subtleties are too beautiful to be missed, including one line in the last pages which brings us back around to...more
The characterizations of the children, their parents, and the ways they interact with each other were perfect and remarkably authentic. The subtleties are too beautiful to be missed, including one line in the last pages which brings us back around to...more
Some beautifully turned phrases. Really well done establishing chapters, showing how everything began.
The central affair between the main male character and his son's girlfriend's mother came out of nowhere with no motivation, and as such the plot's drama was forced. Existential blah. Utterly impossible ending.
Frankly, what this book does is point out the differences between the way male authors and female authors are treated. If, say, Franzen had written a basically sound book layered with sel...more
The central affair between the main male character and his son's girlfriend's mother came out of nowhere with no motivation, and as such the plot's drama was forced. Existential blah. Utterly impossible ending.
Frankly, what this book does is point out the differences between the way male authors and female authors are treated. If, say, Franzen had written a basically sound book layered with sel...more
Hilary Mantel is a master of prose. Reading this book is a sheer delight. Her capacity to create atmosphere, character, places, furniture is breath taking. I found myself texting sentences to friends to share the power of her writing. The story of a family brought up by those born into 19thC ideas and struggling to escape the cloying oppression of Victorian values is insightful and powerful. The impact of family on character and living is fully felt. A dark novel without much happiness and not v...more
This is a good story with some important themes. It is nicely plotted and satisfactorily concluded and the characters are well drawn. I wish I hadn't chosen to listen to it as an audio book though because I feel I missed a lot and I was sidetracked continually by the tone of voice and variety of accents used by the reader which completely dominated the story, particularly influencing my reactions to the characters. The reader chose to use a fragile, pathetic sounding tone for the main character...more
This is somewhat of a study of the subtlety of human nature where there is sometimes a mistake even in the direction of doing good, where white folks (in Boer South Africa) mistreat blacks and where blacks there mistreat white folks (the English mission teacher couple of this book). It also could be read as a lesson on how difficult it is to escape your parents no matter how much you abhor their theological tyranny.
Ralph and Anna Eldred spend 30 years working to help people. In their youth, they spend time in South Africa where they face pressures under Apartheid. After an incident there, they are moved to a remote mission station in what is now Botswana. During their time there, they have a traumatic experience which impacts the rest of their lives. I wanted to give this book 3.5 stars as it was a well developed story.
The story alternates between a couple's time in Africa as missionaries and their later time in England with their growing children and still active in the church.
It began rather slowly and perhaps I should reread it again, but I almost put it down. Only later was I able to follow the gist of the book
without having to go back thinking I had missed something. I ended up enjoying it very much.
It began rather slowly and perhaps I should reread it again, but I almost put it down. Only later was I able to follow the gist of the book
without having to go back thinking I had missed something. I ended up enjoying it very much.
As ever a great novel from Mantel. It starts slowly as a family-ish saga about a vaguely churchy family in Norfolk. The parents had been missionaries in Africa...gradually the story gets darker as secrets are revealed. This novel took me by surprise when it became a real page turner about halfway through. So well written, although I can't quite agree with the description of 'dark humour'. Highly recommended.
An interesting look at a family's inner workings. Although I can't help but feel Mantel sometimes over complicates things. Maybe some chapter titles would help structure the stories? I understand the inter twining of different people's lives, but felt at times the jolting nature of the book detracted from great prose and stopped it being a page turner. Instead it felt like a slog at times and even into the last ten pages I waiting for it to 'get going'. There are some great moments and it has se...more
Although i love all things Mantel, i didn't think this novel stood up to her Wolf Hall series or Fludd...or even An Experiment in Love. I did like the premise though and the spiritual crisis that many of the characters experience. But overall the characterization was too uneven, leaving that one riveting scene in Africa to float untethered for the rest of the book
Not for me- had I read this first I might never have read Wolf Hall. this is her attempt at a 'straightforward' piece of fiction and I thought it was corny and irritating.It felt like she had carefully followed the manual "how to write a novel" and ended up with something that is technically accurate but whose characters are unbelievable.
A wonderful British novelist whose portrayal of family rings beautiful and true.
Her description of 2 family members living as missionaries in Africa and being of no real help amidst a squalid culture gave me the best image of failed "first world" I have ever read. British colonialism in this book is the background character that causes suffering on all sides.
Her description of 2 family members living as missionaries in Africa and being of no real help amidst a squalid culture gave me the best image of failed "first world" I have ever read. British colonialism in this book is the background character that causes suffering on all sides.
Beautifully (and seemingly effortlessly) written novel that made me think about the tension between our aspiration towards goodness, our very human nature, and the soul-destroyers - economic and political oppression. Deeply moving (for me) section on the impossibility of grieving loved ones lost to violence.
A family with a horrific secret at its heart, more than twenty years buried. Missionary parents, British, travel to minister in Botswana during the mid-1950s. How does the experience mould and mutilate three generations of people? "Only a long littleness consoles you..."
Very interesting book in a topic not very common. I enjoyed the adventure the characters embarked upon, and was still thinking about the tragedy of their missing child even after the book ended. Ms. Mantel is excellent in her plot strategy and her descriptive writing style.
Loved the layered complexity of the characters and plot line. Ms. Mantel's sentences are often little gems that could live forever just on their own. Selected for my book club and was disappointed to not find a reading guide. However, we found plenty to discuss.
this is the book that made me decide that mantel is a wonderful writer. she makes unimaginable tragedy so close to you that you will cry for everyone involved. there are a lot of her books which have done nothing for me but im so glad I read this one.
Mantel is a genius: how does she manage to take what feels as if it ought to be a maudlin and cliched tale of a chilly British couple struck down by a tragedy in southern Africa and make it unlock the very concept of secrets? I loved this. (B)
A beautiful, painful book. I'm not sure I would pick it up to read again if I knew how painful it would be to read it--but I'm glad I read it. (If that makes sense.) Not for the faint of heart. It hurts. But it's so well-written and so real.
Mantel captures the way a "good Protestant family" doesn't talk about its problems. The silence they believe will make them stronger ends up tearing them apart. But of course, Mantel presents this not as epic drama - but with her dark humor, her real understanding and empathy for these characters. Might be my favorite of hers other than the Cromwell series.
I read this about 15 years ago and found it again while unpacking (again!) and just picked it up and started once again. A great read, wonderfully written. Interesting subject matter and themes. Enjoyable yet again.
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Hilary Mary Mantel, née Thompson was born in Glossop, Derbyshire, England on 6 July 1952. She studied Law at the London School of Economics and Sheffield University. She was employed as a social worker, and lived in Botswana for five years, followed by four years in Saudi Arabia, before returning to Britain in the mid-1980s. In 1987 she was awarded the Shiva Naipaul Memorial Prize for an article a...more
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Sharon
Feb 03, 2011 03:19pm