The Body in the Clouds

by Ashley Hay

What if you looked up at just the right moment and saw - out of the corner of your eye - something unexpected? What if it was something so marvellous, so extraordinary, that it transformed time and space forever? The Body in the Clouds tells the story of one extraordinary moment - a man falling from the sky, and surviving - and of three men who see it, in different ways and different times, as they stand on the same piece of land. An astronomer in the late 1700s, a bridgeworker in the 1930s, an expatriate banker returning home in the early 21st century: all three are transformed by one magical event. All are searching for the same thing: how to understand what it means to call a place home, and how be able to tell when you get there.
The Body in the Clouds is a luminous novel about the power of story: the stories that define who and where we are. And the stories we tell - and have told, and will tell - for the people we love.

Genres: Fiction, Australia, Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction, Audiobook, Literature

255 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2010

About the author

Ashley Hay’s new novel, A Hundred Small Lessons, was published in Australia, the US and the UK and was shortlisted for categories in the 2017 Queensland Literary Awards.

Set in her new home city of Brisbane, it traces the intertwined lives of two women from different generations through a story of love, and of life. It takes account of what it means to be mother or daughter; father or son and tells a rich and intimate story of how we feel what it is to be human, and how place can transform who we are.

Her previous novel, The Railwayman’s Wife, was published in Australia, the UK, the US, and is heading for translation into Italian, French and Dutch. It won the Colin Roderick Prize (awarded by the Foundation for Australian Literary Studies), as well as the People's Choice award in the 2014 NSW Premier's Prize, and was also longlisted for both the Miles Franklin and Nita B. Kibble awards.

Her first novel, The Body in the Clouds (2010), was shortlisted for categories in the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize and the NSW and WA premier’s prizes, and longlisted for the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award.

Her previous books span fiction and non-fiction and include Gum: The Story of Eucalypts and Their Champions (2002), Museum (2007; with visual artist Robyn Stacey), and Best Australian Science Writing 2014 (as editor)s

A writer for more than 20 years, her essays and short stories have appeared in volumes including the Griffith Review, Best Australian Essays (2003), Best Australian Short Stories (2012), and Best Australian Science Writing (2012), and have been awarded various accolades in Australia and overseas. In 2016, she received the Bragg UNSW Press Prize for Science Writing.

Reviews

[Ilyhana Kennedy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm going to be hard on this book because I think this author is capable of much more. This book truly was a wade, very slow going. I may have stayed with it simply because I'm Australian and it is a tale, or three tales, set in Australia. It had the potential for me to experience what it might have been like in this country at different times.
I don't know how many times a reader can be expected to absorb descriptions of the same thing. I was certainly 'over' the bridge long before the story, what there was of it, was over.
There were few interactions in the book that actually felt human, but then the beautiful scene between Dawes and his language 'student' showed that the author does have the ability to plumb the depths.
Not much actually happens in this story. It's style is reflective, but totally lacks warmth, not at all engaging.
It's well crafted, setting the stories in three different time zones, linked by a common theme of falling. It's an ambitious structure but one that the author plies well.
However the lack of engagement seriously lets this novel down.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

As I wrote when I posted a Sensational Snippet from this exquisite novel, Ashley Hay has a new book called The Railwayman’s Wife just out, but I’ve been reading her debut novel, The Body in the Clouds (2010).

It was a notable debut, and it signalled that Ashley Hay is a writer to watch. The Body in the Clouds was shortlisted internationally and in the NSW and WA Premier’s Awards, and now that I’ve read it, I don’t understand why it wasn’t nominated for the Miles Franklin. There were some great books longlisted in 2010 but The Body in the Clouds is an infinitely more significant work of literature than the dreary crime novel that won it.

The novel is shaped around a moment in time when a man working on the construction of the Sydney Harbour Bridge in the 1930s fell into the water – and survived. The blurb tells us that three men ‘see it’:
•the astronomer William Dawes, in 1787 in the fledgling colony of New South Wales,
•a bridge-worker, Ted Parker, and
•an expat banker, Dan Kopek, returning to Sydney from the UK in the 21st century.

The story is skilfully constructed in 3rd-person narrative from the perspectives of these three men. The chapters alternate in threes, so that the reader pieces together a jigsaw of coincidences, culminating in a chapter where these elements come together. In the ensuing chapters a mystery begins to reveal itself because Dan emerges from a fog of dreams and jetlag to the realisation that some of the stories he’s been told since childhood don’t fit together. This is a novel about the power of story, about how events are transformed and made significant by story-telling, and how naming things can make them real.

To read the rest of my review please visit http://anzlitlovers.com/2013/11/05/th...

[Marianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

“The Body in the Clouds”, by Ashley Hay, has been described as a luminous novel: this is an apt description. It is full of rich imagery which captures the mood of the place and the time. The characters, while often looking at life and events with quite a different perspective from the rest of us, are realistic and full of depth. Set in three different centuries, the stories are entwined by common threads, places and objects. Within those stories, more stories, some centuries old, some more recent, which resonate with the three main characters.
Ashley takes small pieces of history and legends, and fills in the everyday bits: the descriptions, the thoughts and feelings of the participants. A bit like taking a line drawing and adding the colour and shading to make it real for us. Ashley’s depth of research into that history and legend is evident.
In addition, Ashley introduces the singular concept that certain events leave a trace, an imprint of themselves, as it were, both before and after they happen.
“The Body in the Clouds” was an absolute pleasure to read. Let us hope Ashley will continue to share her literary talent with her readers.

[Jennifer Nelson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Received through FirstReads...
Well, this was not at all what I was expecting. The description leads you to believe it's going to be something completely different. I kept reading, thinking something must happen soon, but soon realized that, really, nothing much was going to. For a relatively short book, this rambles on like a very long one. There were some very lovely passages, and the author brought certain places and feelings to life quite well. The best way I can describe this is that I felt like a really long first chapter.

[Anna · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book will probably be enjoyed by lots of people, but I am not one of them. There were a lot of decent parts to it, but it definitely just wasn't my type of book.
I liked the writing style of this book and the amount of detail the author included. There were so many beautifully written scenes and so many small details that were thrown in that made the story seem so much deeper and more real. I especially liked how much the author loves Sydney, Australia. That became very obvious as I got further into the book.
That being said, NOTHING HAPPENS IN THIS BOOK. I mean, obviously, things happen. But the main events were small enough and (in my mind) meaningless enough that I didn't see the point of including them or making them out to be a huge of events as they were in the book. I loved the writing, but I was constantly bored by this book. By the time I was halfway through, I knew what the big plot twist was going to be and I was eager to finish the story and get to that point. And then, it took another 160 pages to do that. For me, that was difficult to read - especially when this book happens in people's heads. The majority of the text is dedicated to the thoughts and reminiscing of characters and there simply wasn't enough action to keep me occupied and content.
Recommended for people who enjoy slow, intriguing, profound books. Definitely not meant for anyone who likes fast-paced or action-packed stories.

[Nancy · Rating 1 out of 5]

Oh dear, I really wanted to like this book, but not very far into it I decided I simply could not read any more of Dawes' and Ted's stories. I stuck with Dan's and then I even got bored with that.

[Penney · Rating 3 out of 5]

There's a lot to like about this book, even though it's not wholly successful as a novel. Original premise, compelling historical setting, reverberations of magical realism, and beautiful tone of reverie throughout. But all of the characters talk and think in the same style, so you get a little tired of the author's voice.

[Nic]

The concept for this story is intriguing but sadly I could not get past page 54 (and I struggled to get that far). I found the writing to be too 'purple'. The characters seemed like stick figures. They may have been fleshed out as the story progressed but I found the writing too boring to want to continue turning another page. I did read a review that this book was slow but came together at the end but I just could not make it that far.

[Sue]

After reading Ashley Hay's book 'Gum-The story of the Eucalypts and their Champions'
I was keen to read more from this wonderful author.

The Body in the clouds was disappointing by comparison.

As I cannot find a link to 'Gum' so I will make some comments here.

Gum is a 5 out of 5 for a history of our native tree and how explorers searched and recorded details of the species and how it has been sent around the world.

It should be required reading for all Aussies.

[Tiffany Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Body in the Clouds by Ashley Hay tells the story of three generations of men intertwined by location and a bridge that touches all their lives. There is Dawes, an astronomer during the British rule of Australia, Ted a construction worker on the Sydney bridge in the 1930's, and Dan a modern day banker Australian expat living in London.

This book takes a look at the building of a bridge and a man who fell from the Clouds and survived. This man touches each of the three men's lives in different ways.

I liked the way this book paints a picture of the bridge as well as the lives of these three men and how they are intertwined. I found that this book could be a little slow if you are used to fast paced books this one may not be for you. I personally liked the development and thought it waa paced well.

I would recommend this book to fans of multiple storylines and Ashley Hay.

I acknowledge that I recieved this book free of charge from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest and unbiased review of it.

[Meg · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are lots of reasons for telling stories and all you need are places, memories and an imaginative mind like Ashley Hay. She has beautifully written how the Sydney Harbour Bridge interconnects with people from the 18th century to the 21st Century. The main characters are William Dawes who come with the First Fleet to look for the comet. Joe Brown or is he Ted Parker, or is he Roy Kelly? All three helped build the bridge but who is the storyteller? Dan the grandson who returns from England to hear the stories again. Whilst Dawes was here in Australia, he also learnt many Aboriginal words and one was 'putuwá' . This means I press the warmth into your hand, and I do so with this book. (I read the Large Print Edition, and prefer the cover displaying Sydney Harbour Bridge in the clouds.)

[Cassandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ashley Hay's fictional The Body in the Clouds is about our perception of reality. William Dawes, Ted Parker and Dan Kopek, three men from three different times, are brought together by their stories- the stories they collect, the stories they share about themselves and the stories they share about others. Written with beautiful imagery and strong, well-honed characters, Hays weaves together these men's stories to share with us the connectivity of man's hopes and dreams while artfully asking the question, 'what is your truth?'. I particularly enjoyed William Dawes' story of settling in the foreign and harsh world of the late 18th century antipodes, especially his collection of native words. I would recommend this book to serious readers and book clubs.

[Maura · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sort of a strange book, imbued with a sense of mysticism while telling stories from three different time periods that are linked by the Sydney Harbor Bridge. You get a little bit of the history of Australia as white Europeans first saw it, a little bit of history concerning the bridge being built, and then a modern day story that somewhat links into the first two stories. As in many novels these days, the three stories are interleaved, so the reader keeps jumping in time between them. Most of the time I dislike this technique of story-telling, but in this case it seems more fitting because of the almost-supernatural sense of place - how events seem to bleed through time in certain places.

[Helen O'Toole · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novel began slowly and it took me time to work out the connections between the various characters. My particular favourite was the First Fleet astronomer, 24 year old William Dawes. I admired his tenacity, bravery and his deep compassion and understanding of the indigenous people. I later looked up his biographical details and there is so much to love about this little known historical personage. I did understand what Ashley Hay meant by a place having connections between time and space. So often in an old building, you reach out to touch the stone walls and feel transported back in time.

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

I quite honestly don't know what to say about this book. The premise was interesting, but, for me, the book fell flat.

We jump back and forth between 3 stories: Dawes, an astronomer, who was with the first group of British settlers in Sydney (1700s); Ted who worked on the building of the Harbour Bridge (1930s); and Dan who has been living in London for the last 10 years, but returns to Sydney when he finds out that Gramps is dying (early 2000s). One event joins the three. All of them saw a man fall from the Harbour Bridge and survive.

[Lynn · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Body in the Clouds was a struggle for me. Ashley Hay has some beautiful passages sprinkled throughout the book. I especially enjoyed her descriptions of Australia from earlier times. The premise was enticing, but the book was very slow moving with not much happening. This novel is recommended for readers who like to immerse themselves in evocative prose.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada and Goodreads for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Pam Mooney · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the concept of linking three men and events across history. I enjoyed the Australian imagery and the characters presented brought the story home. Beautifully written with a picture painted for each era with details that made you feel you were there at the bridge or where the bridge would be built. I became especially fond of the grandfather and his tall tales. So fun. A good read.

[Maureen · Rating 3 out of 5]

While the stories, there are three, are not about the Sidney Harbor Bridge, it is significant to all. I wish I had read it before visiting Sydney. I would have looked at the bridge with a better understanding and definitely a different perspectiv. Its major impact on people's lives and dreams is the thing that binds these stories together. Had I read it before I would have definitely tried the climb to see the view they all pined for.

[Jason Bleckly · Rating 1 out of 5]

This could be classed as a cookbook - it's full of waffle. Lots and lots and lots of words saying nothing. I almost didn't finish it. Repetitively banging on about Gulliver's Travels, flying, white roses, and the importance of stories, whilst never getting close to telling one. Ted and Dawes chapters have some mildly engaging vignettes, but the Dan chapters are utterly tedious and irrelevant.

I would recommend you NOT read this book.

[Stephanie H · Rating 2 out of 5]

Three stories of three men in Sydney woven across time together.

This book was disappointing in that it was quite well written, but the story wasn’t worth anything. It was trying to be deep, but fell flat. The writing and the descriptions were good, but the book itself as a whole was just kind of…boring. Nothing really happens in the story. It’s just three guys doing stuff that amounts to little or nothing. The bridge as a character was also lacklustre, repetitive, and became stale quickly.

[Kathleen Gray · Rating 3 out of 5]

This has an interesting premise but it's slow. I liked the atmospheric Sydney setting. Sometimes In these situations, the writing can carry me through but this time the prose is florid and I think the book would have benefited from a strong edit. I recognize that this is a reissue and thank Netgalley for the ARC,

[Ellen · Rating 4 out of 5]

An entire novel built around the great Sydney bridge. That description wouldn't have drawn me in, but this is really a terrific novel set in three time periods and linked together by the vision and the reality of crossing water and sky and space and time. Beautifully written, interesting characters.

[Coco · Rating 2 out of 5]

Jeannette Winterson did a far better job exploring this same concept in "Sexing the Cherry"; she masterfully weaves timelines and perceptions without losing the reader. It's a short but complex novel that draws you in and takes your breath away. The Body in The Clouds failed to keep my attention. Two stars for effort, but it's already been done.

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

For me, This book was just ok. The writing is good, but I never managed to engage with the characters and that made the book hard to finish. It's the story of three different men in three different time periods and their relationship to Sydney, Australia. Events echo through the ages and connect the men to various degrees. The Sydney Harbour Bridge turns out to be the most interesting character.

[Kay · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had to study hard to lead my book club discussion! The timelines are difficult to keep straight and there isn't a satisfying end. I'd guess the best takeaway message from the three main plots would be that every family myth has untestable origins, and we may never know whether our best life stories are true.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing writing! I often had to stop and read the words over and over. I enjoyed the story of the building of the Sydney Harbor Bridge, as well as the intertwining of 3 time periods associated with the bridge.

[M · Rating 2 out of 5]

A very poetic book. This is just the book you need when you are ready for a long, quiet, introspective read which doesn't necessarily seem to have a point. There might be one - but I got two thirds of the way through and just could not find the desire to find out how it ended.

[Charlotte · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set in 3 time periods (English settlers establish Sidney, building the bridge in Sidney and early 21st century), and interesting overlapping stories. Mild mysticism/magical realism warning, but mostly an interesting take on Australia's history via individual story and the unstable nature of truth.

[Ryan Waduge · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had a really hard time getting into this one. The three characters that they follow the storylines Were all different and unique but it didn’t really mesh well for me. Even when the author tried to tie it all
In at the end it felt stale and I was just skimming through trying to finish the book

[Kari Mccrory · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had trouble keeping track of characters in this book but liked the ending and how everything pulled together. The idea that one moment in time can be connected across centuries is interesting and somewhat comforting.