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Travelling in the Dark
Travelling back to her home town with her young son, Sarah is ready to face up to what she ran away from ten years ago.
As delays and diversions force her to return to well-known places from her youth, Sarah reflects on the relationships with her family and the events of the past that have shaped her present.
Set in the wild, beautiful and unreliable landscape of southern New Zealand, the novella is an evocative story of a woman coming to terms with her past.
As delays and diversions force her to return to well-known places from her youth, Sarah reflects on the relationships with her family and the events of the past that have shaped her present.
Set in the wild, beautiful and unreliable landscape of southern New Zealand, the novella is an evocative story of a woman coming to terms with her past.
- GenresContemporaryFiction
135 pages, Paperback
Published July 11, 2018
4 people are currently reading
258 people want to read
About the author
Emma Timpany
8 books8 followersEmma was born and grew up in the far south of Aotearoa New Zealand. She lives in Cornwall.
She is editor of Botanical Short Stories, an anthology of stories about plants and flowers published by The History Press in April 2024. Her books include the short story collections Three Roads and The Lost of Syros, which was longlisted for the Edge Hill Prize 2015.
Her novella, Travelling in the Dark, won the Hall and Woodhouse DLF Writing Prize 2019. It was long-listed for the Not the Booker Prize 2018 and selected as a Big Issue Summer Read 2018.
She is co-editor of Cornish Short Stories: A Collection of Contemporary Cornish Writing which was shortlisted for a Holyer an Gof Award 2019.
Emma's short stories have won the Sara Park Memorial Short Story Competition 2013, the Society of Authors’ Tom-Gallon Trust Award 2011, and the Society of Women Writers and Journalists’ Theodora Roscoe/Vera Brittain Award 2011. Her work has been published in literary journals in England, New Zealand and Australia.
She is editor of Botanical Short Stories, an anthology of stories about plants and flowers published by The History Press in April 2024. Her books include the short story collections Three Roads and The Lost of Syros, which was longlisted for the Edge Hill Prize 2015.
Her novella, Travelling in the Dark, won the Hall and Woodhouse DLF Writing Prize 2019. It was long-listed for the Not the Booker Prize 2018 and selected as a Big Issue Summer Read 2018.
She is co-editor of Cornish Short Stories: A Collection of Contemporary Cornish Writing which was shortlisted for a Holyer an Gof Award 2019.
Emma's short stories have won the Sara Park Memorial Short Story Competition 2013, the Society of Authors’ Tom-Gallon Trust Award 2011, and the Society of Women Writers and Journalists’ Theodora Roscoe/Vera Brittain Award 2011. Her work has been published in literary journals in England, New Zealand and Australia.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
July 13, 2018
Emma Timpany's Travelling in the Dark is another novella published as a series of five by the quite wonderful Fairlight Moderns press. In Travelling in the Dark, Timpany's protagonist, Sarah, is travelling back to her native New Zealand from her home in England, accompanied by her young son. Her husband has recently left her, and she is making the journey in order to show her son where she spent her own childhood, and to meet an old friend with whom she has a lot of history.
Travelling in the Dark begins in such a vivid manner, in prose which feels at once simplistic and engaging: 'Sarah is on an aeroplane, crossing the night sky. Her hands are folded in her lap. Outside the window there is darkness. She could slide the small, white window blind down, close out the night, but somehow she cannot bring herself to make this one small act. The sense that she sometimes gets, that she must keep watching or she'll miss something of importance, is intense, though she cannot see anything beyond the veil of ice crystals. No stars, no satellites. No planets. No moon. No radiant light from some far city.' As one can tell from this snippet, Timpany's descriptions are often quite lovely, particularly when she gives her attention to the natural world.
Every other chapter, which is interspersed between details of Sarah's present day journey, are vignettes set during her childhood. Such a sense of place and character can be found throughout Travelling in the Dark, and I so enjoyed Timpany's writing that I am now waiting eagerly for her next publication.
Travelling in the Dark begins in such a vivid manner, in prose which feels at once simplistic and engaging: 'Sarah is on an aeroplane, crossing the night sky. Her hands are folded in her lap. Outside the window there is darkness. She could slide the small, white window blind down, close out the night, but somehow she cannot bring herself to make this one small act. The sense that she sometimes gets, that she must keep watching or she'll miss something of importance, is intense, though she cannot see anything beyond the veil of ice crystals. No stars, no satellites. No planets. No moon. No radiant light from some far city.' As one can tell from this snippet, Timpany's descriptions are often quite lovely, particularly when she gives her attention to the natural world.
Every other chapter, which is interspersed between details of Sarah's present day journey, are vignettes set during her childhood. Such a sense of place and character can be found throughout Travelling in the Dark, and I so enjoyed Timpany's writing that I am now waiting eagerly for her next publication.
June 24, 2018
This is the second novella I’ve read in the series published by Fairlight Books and it was a delightful discovery. We follow Sarah on a nostalgic journey across the south island of New Zealand, the places she grew up in and fled ten years ago. Recently split from her partner in England, she has returned with her eight-year-old son to visit the man she loved and lost as a teenager. Very short chapters alternate between the present day journey and the events that led up to her departure, including her unhappy relationships with her mother and older sister.
I found this to be a satisfying mix of emotional journey and travelogue. I’ve always thought New Zealand to be rare and beautiful, and the descriptions here confirm that - some lovely images. In a book this short, there are bound to be some aspects that might have been expanded (her time on the archaeological dig in Greece, for example, is sketchy) but the overall emphasis is on Sarah’s return, not her time away, and I was happy with that. Rounding off with a glimmer of hope for the future, could I ask for more? I’m already looking out for a copy of her previous work - a collection of short stories also set in New Zealand.
With thanks to Fairlight Books via NetGalley for the opportunity to read an ARC.
I found this to be a satisfying mix of emotional journey and travelogue. I’ve always thought New Zealand to be rare and beautiful, and the descriptions here confirm that - some lovely images. In a book this short, there are bound to be some aspects that might have been expanded (her time on the archaeological dig in Greece, for example, is sketchy) but the overall emphasis is on Sarah’s return, not her time away, and I was happy with that. Rounding off with a glimmer of hope for the future, could I ask for more? I’m already looking out for a copy of her previous work - a collection of short stories also set in New Zealand.
With thanks to Fairlight Books via NetGalley for the opportunity to read an ARC.
June 8, 2019
I didn't get this book.
I feel I have waited for the entire book for something to happen, which it didn't happen. The story it is also a bit unrealistic for me: Sarah has pretty much only one friend, who is nasty and selfish with her and with everybody else. She doesn't say any good thing about her, she doesn't actually like anything about her, and she still defines her as her best friend. Same thing for her sister and mother and father. They are all terrible and constantly treat her like an idiot, but she keep trying to call and get in touch with them (while they just try to avoid her). I just find this totally surreal.
Also I found extremely disappointing the fact the son's name is kept secret for all the book and disclosed at the end without really any apparent (good) reason.
I don't know what the writer wanted to transmit to her readers, but it didn't sadly reach me.
I feel I have waited for the entire book for something to happen, which it didn't happen. The story it is also a bit unrealistic for me: Sarah has pretty much only one friend, who is nasty and selfish with her and with everybody else. She doesn't say any good thing about her, she doesn't actually like anything about her, and she still defines her as her best friend. Same thing for her sister and mother and father. They are all terrible and constantly treat her like an idiot, but she keep trying to call and get in touch with them (while they just try to avoid her). I just find this totally surreal.
Also I found extremely disappointing the fact the son's name is kept secret for all the book and disclosed at the end without really any apparent (good) reason.
I don't know what the writer wanted to transmit to her readers, but it didn't sadly reach me.
August 23, 2018
I received this book as an Advance Reader Copy from Fairlight Books via NetGalley.
On the surface, Travelling in the Dark by Emma Timpany is a story about a young woman named Sarah travelling back to her home in New Zealand for the first time with her son after years of estrangement from family and the end of her rocky marriage. The narrative is engaging, and the author’s choice to alternate the narrative between past and present with each chapter builds the emotional tension, rather than feeling like a gimmick. In a way, the book reads a bit like a travelogue -- the imagery brings New Zealand to life as Sarah sees the places she spent her childhood through the eyes of her young son. But Sarah’s inner struggle takes center stage, and by the time I had finished the novella, I found myself wrought with sadness, empathy, and the need to reread the novella (which I did). Sarah’s story drives home the impact that one’s early life can have on the rest of our decisions and our ability to perceive and navigate the world in adulthood.
I loved that the themes contained in the title (travel and darkness) permeate the entire work -- within every chapter -- and influence how it can be interpreted. It was the title that I couldn’t let go of after finishing Travelling in the Dark.
Clearly Sarah’s life (as is the same for all of us) is a journey. The story alternates between vignettes from her childhood in an often negative and abusive environment and the present day and her struggles to relate to her son and cope with where life has taken her. Sarah is also actually travelling in the book. She leaves New Zealand in search of an escape as a young woman, landing herself first in Greece and then England. As an adult, she travels back to New Zealand, taking the scenic route (sometimes unintentionally) with her son to visit her childhood friend Patrick.
As Sarah physically moves through the book in what ends up being a prolonged round trip, the idea of darkness (along with color and light) stands out to create contrast in her experiences. All of Timpany’s descriptions paint vivid mental pictures, and while Sarah is clearly surrounded by a world in full color, much of her own existence and perception are veiled in darkness. To travel in the dark implies a few themes, all of which I felt carried strongly through the text. The novella even starts with a statement that, more or less, darkness is just beyond Sarah’s window as she flies at night. The absence of light is often contrasted with the colorful descriptions of her surroundings -- from general features within nature to specific eye colors. The overly colorful descriptions juxtapose with the sad and on-edge (even...dark) tone of the novella’s content, which deals with themes of rejection, sadness, and the fact that eventually we all have to return to face the reality of what we have tried to escape.
Darkness encompasses situations that are tragic, and many of Sarah’s own experience qualify as such. She suffers at the hand of quite a few people who she genuinely loves. Darkness also indicates a level of ignorance, which Sarah demonstrated several times in her youth as she misjudged how she fit in with her family, what it meant to have or be a good friend, and whether or not a person could reciprocate love in the same way. As Sarah travels back to New Zealand, much of her ignorance fades or has faded away, yet Timpany does not let us come out of the dark as readers completely, either. We are left to wonder a bit at the end and to consider her story as we continue on our own paths.
Timpany’s mastery of language to create thematic elements, set the tone, and immerse the reader in the text leaves one travelling in the dark right along with Sarah. This story is one that will stick with me for quite a while, and I am happy to have read it.
On the surface, Travelling in the Dark by Emma Timpany is a story about a young woman named Sarah travelling back to her home in New Zealand for the first time with her son after years of estrangement from family and the end of her rocky marriage. The narrative is engaging, and the author’s choice to alternate the narrative between past and present with each chapter builds the emotional tension, rather than feeling like a gimmick. In a way, the book reads a bit like a travelogue -- the imagery brings New Zealand to life as Sarah sees the places she spent her childhood through the eyes of her young son. But Sarah’s inner struggle takes center stage, and by the time I had finished the novella, I found myself wrought with sadness, empathy, and the need to reread the novella (which I did). Sarah’s story drives home the impact that one’s early life can have on the rest of our decisions and our ability to perceive and navigate the world in adulthood.
I loved that the themes contained in the title (travel and darkness) permeate the entire work -- within every chapter -- and influence how it can be interpreted. It was the title that I couldn’t let go of after finishing Travelling in the Dark.
Clearly Sarah’s life (as is the same for all of us) is a journey. The story alternates between vignettes from her childhood in an often negative and abusive environment and the present day and her struggles to relate to her son and cope with where life has taken her. Sarah is also actually travelling in the book. She leaves New Zealand in search of an escape as a young woman, landing herself first in Greece and then England. As an adult, she travels back to New Zealand, taking the scenic route (sometimes unintentionally) with her son to visit her childhood friend Patrick.
As Sarah physically moves through the book in what ends up being a prolonged round trip, the idea of darkness (along with color and light) stands out to create contrast in her experiences. All of Timpany’s descriptions paint vivid mental pictures, and while Sarah is clearly surrounded by a world in full color, much of her own existence and perception are veiled in darkness. To travel in the dark implies a few themes, all of which I felt carried strongly through the text. The novella even starts with a statement that, more or less, darkness is just beyond Sarah’s window as she flies at night. The absence of light is often contrasted with the colorful descriptions of her surroundings -- from general features within nature to specific eye colors. The overly colorful descriptions juxtapose with the sad and on-edge (even...dark) tone of the novella’s content, which deals with themes of rejection, sadness, and the fact that eventually we all have to return to face the reality of what we have tried to escape.
Darkness encompasses situations that are tragic, and many of Sarah’s own experience qualify as such. She suffers at the hand of quite a few people who she genuinely loves. Darkness also indicates a level of ignorance, which Sarah demonstrated several times in her youth as she misjudged how she fit in with her family, what it meant to have or be a good friend, and whether or not a person could reciprocate love in the same way. As Sarah travels back to New Zealand, much of her ignorance fades or has faded away, yet Timpany does not let us come out of the dark as readers completely, either. We are left to wonder a bit at the end and to consider her story as we continue on our own paths.
Timpany’s mastery of language to create thematic elements, set the tone, and immerse the reader in the text leaves one travelling in the dark right along with Sarah. This story is one that will stick with me for quite a while, and I am happy to have read it.
July 13, 2018
The beautiful writing pulled me in from the very beginning. I love how Emma Timpany weaves the two storylines, the past and the present. Sarah’s memories are vivid, and the descriptions of New Zealand are so alive. The book is structured in 45 short chapters, and I kept telling myself I’ll read just one more, and before I knew it I had reached the end!
August 24, 2018
A beautiful moving novella of the past & present Sarah & her son are traveling to her hometown her past her memories that creep into the present set in New Zeland.a book to savor...
November 3, 2018
This is a wonderful book about a painful walk down memory lane, given an extra layer of interest given that Sarah takes her son with her on this important, intense journey back in her hometown New Zealand. An earthquake brings her back to her home country after many, many years and being back brings back many of the important moments from her past which have been equal in the pain they've caused and in the way they shaped the choices that made her move abroad to begin with.
We learn about Sarah's life in a series of fragments of memories from her childhood and early adulthood, which are presented intermittently throughout the narrative. These accurately mimic the very nature of memory and how much of a role it often plays in our everyday life, its ever-presence in the associations we make with places albeit deliberately or not, and its power to evoke feelings from the experiences that do shaped us even in our present day lives.
Timpany always describes just enough narrative and just enough description- never too little or too much. The effect of this is we readers learn about Sarah's life as she learns to make sense of and come to terms with the many painful memories that shaped Sarah so immensely. We learn the shades of New Zealand's landscape to picture these vividly in our minds without Dickensian levels of description that often slow down the narrative. Timpany reveals the plot sparingly, keeping enough from us that we are left wondering right up until the end. It perhaps points to how parents can often withhold a lot about their own childhood when explaining to their own children, either to protect their children or to protect their own selves from the pain of re-visiting their memories.
Very enjoyable book and very easy to read, I'd recommend it to anyone to keep them company on their commute!
We learn about Sarah's life in a series of fragments of memories from her childhood and early adulthood, which are presented intermittently throughout the narrative. These accurately mimic the very nature of memory and how much of a role it often plays in our everyday life, its ever-presence in the associations we make with places albeit deliberately or not, and its power to evoke feelings from the experiences that do shaped us even in our present day lives.
Timpany always describes just enough narrative and just enough description- never too little or too much. The effect of this is we readers learn about Sarah's life as she learns to make sense of and come to terms with the many painful memories that shaped Sarah so immensely. We learn the shades of New Zealand's landscape to picture these vividly in our minds without Dickensian levels of description that often slow down the narrative. Timpany reveals the plot sparingly, keeping enough from us that we are left wondering right up until the end. It perhaps points to how parents can often withhold a lot about their own childhood when explaining to their own children, either to protect their children or to protect their own selves from the pain of re-visiting their memories.
Very enjoyable book and very easy to read, I'd recommend it to anyone to keep them company on their commute!
August 3, 2021
‘Travelling in the Dark’ is a wonderful study of character and a terrific piece of storytelling. Emma Timpany’s writing has a psychological truthfulness that puts you very much inside the head of the central character, Sarah, so that reading this novella you come to really feel for her and to worry over her predicament. Timpany’s descriptions of New Zealand are beautiful, enchanting and wild, and her clever construction of Sarah’s story (and her life) keeps you hooked to the big surprise at the end of the book. There is enough here that at the end of the reading experience it feels as if you have read a complete novel and not its shorter cousin. I would definitely recommend this to other readers.
January 4, 2020
This novella is set in the scenic landscape of New Zealand and talks about Sarah's journey back home. She comes back home after many years with her little boy and a lot of demons from the past come back to haunt her..
This story is sad, melancholic and extremely beautiful in the way that it describes the stunning landscape of New Zealand. It manages to evoke varied emotions in the few pages that it encompases and there are moments when I felt quite terrible for Sarah. Do pick this up if you want to experience an engaging and evoking read spanning just a few pages..
This story is sad, melancholic and extremely beautiful in the way that it describes the stunning landscape of New Zealand. It manages to evoke varied emotions in the few pages that it encompases and there are moments when I felt quite terrible for Sarah. Do pick this up if you want to experience an engaging and evoking read spanning just a few pages..
April 25, 2019
Moody and full of dread and memory, this is my favorite kind of book. The writing is spare and full of lovely details, many of which--as a person who's never been to New Zealand--I enjoyed the sound of even though I was unable to understand what they were (kowhai tree, wax-eye, pittosporum, etc). I'm going to track down the other titles in the Fairlight Moderns series.
August 31, 2019
Throughout this book I was reminded of Veronique Olmi's Beside the Sea, but without the punch to the gut. It is far tamer but had the potential to be so much more.
October 14, 2024
A wonderfully written wander through New Zealand as the protagonist makes her way home, the past and present interwoven to make sense of her fears and trepidation and hope.
September 7, 2018
This is a well-written book: the plot was gripping and surprising, the interweaving of the two timelines suspenseful, and the author's descriptive writing is to die for! I've never visited NZ but now feel I have. So evocative!
April 1, 2020
Protagonist Sarah McLeod hasn't been back to New Zealand for ten years, but she's finally decided to return for awhile, accompanied by her eight year-old son (referred to only as "the child"). Sarah's husband left her soon after the child's birth, and although it's not clear what her life has been like during the ensuing years, she does have some old and painful history to confront. She also has a male friend (Patrick) whom she is longing to see.
After long flights from England to New Zealand's South Island, Sarah and her son embark on a multi-day car trip to Port Glass, the place of her childhood and also Patrick's current home. Along the way, they stop at various familiar locations, some of which exacerbate torments lurking from Sarah's past. Arriving in Port Glass, but before meeting Patrick, Sarah sets out to calm her own growing inner turmoil. She visits two graves, one old and in need of tending, the other quite recent. But just how those visits are supposed to exorcise her lingering demons is unexplained, since two of the worst people in Sarah's earlier life -- a nasty sister and an unloving mother -- are untouched by them.
Alternating between present and past, the chapters nevertheless leave a lot of recent historical ground uncovered; material from those omissions might have bolstered the narrative. Emma Timpany's prose is often quite beautiful, especially when she is portraying New Zealand's landscapes, but it doesn't carry over to her characters. Sarah's sister and mother are thinly drawn, and Patrick's lack of substance makes Sarah's attraction to him difficult to fathom. Dialogues tend to be brief and stilted (often monosyllabic), and the novel's finale is a major letdown. The result is a collection of luminous scenery descriptions in want of a compelling story.
After long flights from England to New Zealand's South Island, Sarah and her son embark on a multi-day car trip to Port Glass, the place of her childhood and also Patrick's current home. Along the way, they stop at various familiar locations, some of which exacerbate torments lurking from Sarah's past. Arriving in Port Glass, but before meeting Patrick, Sarah sets out to calm her own growing inner turmoil. She visits two graves, one old and in need of tending, the other quite recent. But just how those visits are supposed to exorcise her lingering demons is unexplained, since two of the worst people in Sarah's earlier life -- a nasty sister and an unloving mother -- are untouched by them.
Alternating between present and past, the chapters nevertheless leave a lot of recent historical ground uncovered; material from those omissions might have bolstered the narrative. Emma Timpany's prose is often quite beautiful, especially when she is portraying New Zealand's landscapes, but it doesn't carry over to her characters. Sarah's sister and mother are thinly drawn, and Patrick's lack of substance makes Sarah's attraction to him difficult to fathom. Dialogues tend to be brief and stilted (often monosyllabic), and the novel's finale is a major letdown. The result is a collection of luminous scenery descriptions in want of a compelling story.
April 10, 2018
I really enjoyed this book. I read the whole book in one go on a train journey - one of the advantages of novellas - and became very involved with the characters. The story follows Sarah, who has been in exile from her home in New Zealand for many years, on a journey back to the place where she grew up. She is accompanied by her young son, who seems largely oblivious to her growing anxiety, which is more apparent the closer she gets to her destination.
As might be expected from Emma Timpany, this is a beautifully-written narrative, which lulls you with its prose even as it gently teases apart the pain of a traumatic past.
As might be expected from Emma Timpany, this is a beautifully-written narrative, which lulls you with its prose even as it gently teases apart the pain of a traumatic past.
August 11, 2018
Sarah is travelling back to New Zealand with her child, pulled back by her memories and the need to confront her past. A past that includes a mother and sister who took every advantage of her, old relationships, and the fear of earthquake.
A novella that takes the reader on a journey alongside Sarah, an evocative journey, captu in the Nee Zealand landscape alongside emotions and memories. Beautiful and haunting.
A novella that takes the reader on a journey alongside Sarah, an evocative journey, captu in the Nee Zealand landscape alongside emotions and memories. Beautiful and haunting.
July 20, 2022
4.5*
In light of an upcoming blog on Emma Timpany’s latest book I wanted to check out and read some of her writing. Well, what a wonderful find Travelling in the Dark has been.
This novella brings an intriguing main character in Sarah who is travelling with her son from England back to her homeland of New Zealand which has just suffered from a devastating earthquake. She is returning to visit a friend who recently lost his wife.
We find Sarah travelling at night through the air with her son. Sarah begins to recall parts of her history, her life back in New Zealand before she met her ex-husband and moved to England.
Through alternative passages between the past and the present we learn about Sarah – her family relationships, why she moved away, her friends, loves, her hopes, dreams and heartache.
With descriptions of New Zealand which are just beautiful, we travel along with Sarah and her son living the ups and downs of life now and, for Sarah, in the past. The journey encounters difficulties and diversions but Sarah is determined and steadfast in her desire to move forward into her past in order to build a better future.
The ending, for me, is one of possibilities and hope – what more can you wish for?
Isn’t it amazing how so much can be found in short form writing? Travelling in the Dark is an excellent example and well worth reading.
I’ll be hosting a guest post from Emma Timpany on the 22 June why not come and take a look. With more about her latest book on 23 June when I share my thoughts with you.
Book: Purchased
In light of an upcoming blog on Emma Timpany’s latest book I wanted to check out and read some of her writing. Well, what a wonderful find Travelling in the Dark has been.
This novella brings an intriguing main character in Sarah who is travelling with her son from England back to her homeland of New Zealand which has just suffered from a devastating earthquake. She is returning to visit a friend who recently lost his wife.
We find Sarah travelling at night through the air with her son. Sarah begins to recall parts of her history, her life back in New Zealand before she met her ex-husband and moved to England.
Through alternative passages between the past and the present we learn about Sarah – her family relationships, why she moved away, her friends, loves, her hopes, dreams and heartache.
With descriptions of New Zealand which are just beautiful, we travel along with Sarah and her son living the ups and downs of life now and, for Sarah, in the past. The journey encounters difficulties and diversions but Sarah is determined and steadfast in her desire to move forward into her past in order to build a better future.
The ending, for me, is one of possibilities and hope – what more can you wish for?
Isn’t it amazing how so much can be found in short form writing? Travelling in the Dark is an excellent example and well worth reading.
I’ll be hosting a guest post from Emma Timpany on the 22 June why not come and take a look. With more about her latest book on 23 June when I share my thoughts with you.
Book: Purchased
January 9, 2024
I initially only left a rating, but after revisiting this book, I had to come back a leave a more detailed review about why this novella is so beautiful.
Firstly and most importantly, this book is written in such a way that the beautiful scenery of New Zealand is painted vividly, even for someone who has never visited. People sometimes speak about how certain books "read" like they are black and white but Timpany's work seems to burst with color in a way that I have never really seen before. Moreover, I believe these descriptions truly capture the world in the eyes of a child; some innocent vessel that views the world around them without any fear. This of course contrasts the more adult view which is laced with uncertainty and worry that can fade these colors in a way. The primary plot point of the earthquake serves to reinforce this as only Sarah seems to ever fully acknowledge it, very rarely does her child.
My final point links to this: the chapter-by-chapter change from past to present is wonderfully done. It not only allows the reader to build anticipation for new information to be revealed, which also allows for this shorter book to feel very dense (in a good way), but also plays into one of my keys points of the novel: how one can prevent their own childhood affecting that of their child's. Each chapter reveals more of Sarah's tragic past and struggles which allows every challenge she faces with her own son feel so much more emotional. It allows for the reader to build support for her. As such, every time Sarah tries to give her son the help she never received, you feel any small victory alongside her. Of course, this shows the struggles of single motherhood and the reality of raising a child, as well as the general reality of life. However, much like the New Zealand landscape in spite of the destructive earthquake it faced, there is always beauty in this struggle but being experienced adults, sometimes it takes pure innocence to realise this.
I genuinely so pleased to have discover this book and this amazing author.
Firstly and most importantly, this book is written in such a way that the beautiful scenery of New Zealand is painted vividly, even for someone who has never visited. People sometimes speak about how certain books "read" like they are black and white but Timpany's work seems to burst with color in a way that I have never really seen before. Moreover, I believe these descriptions truly capture the world in the eyes of a child; some innocent vessel that views the world around them without any fear. This of course contrasts the more adult view which is laced with uncertainty and worry that can fade these colors in a way. The primary plot point of the earthquake serves to reinforce this as only Sarah seems to ever fully acknowledge it, very rarely does her child.
My final point links to this: the chapter-by-chapter change from past to present is wonderfully done. It not only allows the reader to build anticipation for new information to be revealed, which also allows for this shorter book to feel very dense (in a good way), but also plays into one of my keys points of the novel: how one can prevent their own childhood affecting that of their child's. Each chapter reveals more of Sarah's tragic past and struggles which allows every challenge she faces with her own son feel so much more emotional. It allows for the reader to build support for her. As such, every time Sarah tries to give her son the help she never received, you feel any small victory alongside her. Of course, this shows the struggles of single motherhood and the reality of raising a child, as well as the general reality of life. However, much like the New Zealand landscape in spite of the destructive earthquake it faced, there is always beauty in this struggle but being experienced adults, sometimes it takes pure innocence to realise this.
I genuinely so pleased to have discover this book and this amazing author.
July 12, 2020
My third book from the series of fairlights. Love the size and design of all of them and wanted to stick to the series. Lovely short easy reads, that I started reading during my final year of uni and in this lockdown period. This is my least favourite so far. Though I loved the descriptive writing and I was intrigued throughout to continue, I wasn’t completely hooked at the beginning and found the present chapters stronger. I got confused with all the characters names to begin with as the character development is pretty poor.
I became pretty invested as it went along eager to understand her need to go to see Patrick, hoping for the meeting that she needed. To be cut short with the fact we didn’t even meet him in the present. Felt like there was only a true emotion when I felt for her when kitty was with him, but other than that her true romance for him was just summed up in that she felt she needed to speak to him?
At the end of reading I just felt like we hadn’t really got anywhere and that it was kind of a pointless story! However, until I reached the end did I think this. So the whole time reading it I did enjoy it, so that’s why I gave it a 3/5☺️
The fact that I have swiftly moved onto another book has a lot to say about the impact it has on me, normally I have to spend time still in the previous book I read and give it time. But I just wasn’t captivated by this one.
I became pretty invested as it went along eager to understand her need to go to see Patrick, hoping for the meeting that she needed. To be cut short with the fact we didn’t even meet him in the present. Felt like there was only a true emotion when I felt for her when kitty was with him, but other than that her true romance for him was just summed up in that she felt she needed to speak to him?
At the end of reading I just felt like we hadn’t really got anywhere and that it was kind of a pointless story! However, until I reached the end did I think this. So the whole time reading it I did enjoy it, so that’s why I gave it a 3/5☺️
The fact that I have swiftly moved onto another book has a lot to say about the impact it has on me, normally I have to spend time still in the previous book I read and give it time. But I just wasn’t captivated by this one.
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April 10, 2019I received my copy of this book for review via Netgalley.
On a journey through her home country of New Zealand, we follow Sarah (& her young son) as she makes her way to visit an old friend in the aftermath of a devastating earthquake. On this literal journey of hers, Sarah also finds herself on an emotional journey with the familiar landscape of her youth evoking memories that she’d perhaps rather have left in the past – with her story unfolding in alternating chapters of past & present.
Although the main protagonist of this book is Sarah, the landscape and setting of New Zealand came alive to me more than she did. I found the author to write quite visually, with a lot of the story playing out in my mind like a movie as I read.
Whilst I enjoyed my experience reading this book, having completed it in the one sitting, I did feel a little flat upon finishing it. I think the length of it, being a novella, meant that I found myself not fully invested in the story & characters – as we concluded, I felt like Sarah’s story had only just begun; I wanted more. I’m happy to have read Travelling in the Dark, and been introduced to the writing of the author, however I do feel like this is one of those stories that is easily forgettable.
On a journey through her home country of New Zealand, we follow Sarah (& her young son) as she makes her way to visit an old friend in the aftermath of a devastating earthquake. On this literal journey of hers, Sarah also finds herself on an emotional journey with the familiar landscape of her youth evoking memories that she’d perhaps rather have left in the past – with her story unfolding in alternating chapters of past & present.
Although the main protagonist of this book is Sarah, the landscape and setting of New Zealand came alive to me more than she did. I found the author to write quite visually, with a lot of the story playing out in my mind like a movie as I read.
Whilst I enjoyed my experience reading this book, having completed it in the one sitting, I did feel a little flat upon finishing it. I think the length of it, being a novella, meant that I found myself not fully invested in the story & characters – as we concluded, I felt like Sarah’s story had only just begun; I wanted more. I’m happy to have read Travelling in the Dark, and been introduced to the writing of the author, however I do feel like this is one of those stories that is easily forgettable.
March 8, 2024
I loved this clever, evocative read and was quickly invested in its believable characters and immersive plot. The author writes beautifully in vivid prose, conjuring vivid images of New Zealand with its wild beauty and contrasting landscapes. I enjoyed the back-and-forward glimpses into the protagonist's childhood and relationships, pulled into her world without a backward glance.
References to Sarah's son as 'the child' were intriguing and for me, this added a certain emotional depth to the story, emphasising that this is Sarah's journey, one which she absolutely needs to make at all costs. She is devoted to him but the fact that he is there is simply because she has no choice in the matter. The journey must be made however inconvenient.
The plot unravels at just the right speed, fragments of the past revealed to maintain interest and pique curiosity. I found the book hard to put down and read it in a couple of sittings.
If you enjoy well told stories about love, loss and the enduring power of memory, you will love this short but beautifully crafted read.
References to Sarah's son as 'the child' were intriguing and for me, this added a certain emotional depth to the story, emphasising that this is Sarah's journey, one which she absolutely needs to make at all costs. She is devoted to him but the fact that he is there is simply because she has no choice in the matter. The journey must be made however inconvenient.
The plot unravels at just the right speed, fragments of the past revealed to maintain interest and pique curiosity. I found the book hard to put down and read it in a couple of sittings.
If you enjoy well told stories about love, loss and the enduring power of memory, you will love this short but beautifully crafted read.
May 21, 2020
One of the stories in The Lost of Syros features again in Timpany’s novella Travelling in the Dark. It chronicles Sarah’s journey through her struggles within a difficult family and love lost and found. Set mostly in earthquake torn southern New Zealand it chronicles her own tremors and aftershocks, youthful escape to Greece, romance and life as a young mother in London. Her return, travelling through New Zealand with her young son and as a now single mother is often painful and overpowering, whilst her progeny’s mostly joyful company is energising. The whole brings her to realization of the fulfilment available to her and for so long denied. Told in many short but full chapters, each a story in itself, the reader becomes closely involved with the evolving life of Sarah and her child and is left hopeful and satisfied by a story very well written. This is a read which I highly recommend.
April 29, 2020
Sarah is making a long overdue journey. With her eight-year-old son beside her, she is on a long-haul flight from her home in London, ‘slipping across countries through the shimmering boundaries of time’, heading back to southern New Zealand where she grew up. As she nears her destination, Sarah must tackle memories from her childhood, recollections of a hard, unfair time that, even now, refuses to loosen its claws completely. Emma Timpany’s evocative but bleak novella, part of the Fairlight Moderns series, probes at the way in which we are yoked to our pasts and follows one woman’s efforts to close the circle: ‘Sometimes it’s just a matter of waiting; waiting for history and memory to align, like stars over a mountain, and lead you home.'...
For the full review, please see my blog:
https://theidlewoman.net/2020/04/18/t...
For the full review, please see my blog:
https://theidlewoman.net/2020/04/18/t...
Want to read
February 18, 2022Emma Timpany wrote an enjoyable novella filled with such descriptions of the surroundings that I felt like I was in New Zealand and Greece. The main storyline of family and love were woven throughout the book.
Sarah came from a family that left her feeling worthless and confused while she tried to hold it all togeher.
As it is a novella, I do not want to tell to much to give it all away but it is worth the read. Not that it is all perfect, there are some aspects of the book that are hard to get through such as the uncaring way that the son is referred to as the child throughout the story. It felt uncomfortable and so unfeeling.
As I mentioned before this is a well-written book and is interesting to read.
I was given this book by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review. All opinions stated are my own.
Sarah came from a family that left her feeling worthless and confused while she tried to hold it all togeher.
As it is a novella, I do not want to tell to much to give it all away but it is worth the read. Not that it is all perfect, there are some aspects of the book that are hard to get through such as the uncaring way that the son is referred to as the child throughout the story. It felt uncomfortable and so unfeeling.
As I mentioned before this is a well-written book and is interesting to read.
I was given this book by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review. All opinions stated are my own.
October 2, 2019
This is a contemporary fiction book about Sarah, a young woman who is travelling back to her home town in New Zealand together with her son. During that trip she revisit places from her youth and reflects on old relationships and events.
I liked the setting of the book and I think the way it was written was also interesting as one chapter was always about what’s happening at present time and the next one would then be the main characters reflection on the past. However, the ending was very disappointing for me. It felt like the story line was building up to something the whole time, but nothing really happened in the end. I gave this one 3⭐️ and hope that the other #fairlightmoderns book that I have on my TBR will be a more enjoyable read.
I liked the setting of the book and I think the way it was written was also interesting as one chapter was always about what’s happening at present time and the next one would then be the main characters reflection on the past. However, the ending was very disappointing for me. It felt like the story line was building up to something the whole time, but nothing really happened in the end. I gave this one 3⭐️ and hope that the other #fairlightmoderns book that I have on my TBR will be a more enjoyable read.
June 9, 2018
Travelling in the Dark was a thoughtful read that switched between the past and present as Sarah made her way back to her hometown while trying to deal with the events that had seen her leave it in the first place. I by no means disliked it--the prose was well written and the pacing nicely handled--but somehow it never completely gripped me, and when it ended, I felt like there was more I still wanted to know and see. A nice novella, with some beautiful descriptive passages, but it lacked that hook to keep me captivated. Even so, a solid 3.5 stars.
I received this book as an eBook ARC via NetGalley.
I received this book as an eBook ARC via NetGalley.
October 22, 2018
This little novella has left me feeling torn. I loved the descriptions of the New Zealand countryside and the spattering of folklore, however, the predominantly dislikable characters, combined with an unsatisfying conclusion riddled with loose ends, have left me feeling dissatisfied. I felt that the book started strong, almost like a mini-collection of short stories as we get snippets of Sarah's past, but didn't much escalate to any sort of grand finale, instead tapering out.
So saying, Timpany's writing style reminds me a little of Anne Tyler and I would happily read further works of hers.
So saying, Timpany's writing style reminds me a little of Anne Tyler and I would happily read further works of hers.
August 26, 2021
So many half baked plot lines that were left un finished. The protagonist’s child was never explicitly named throughout the book but for no apparent real reason. everything just seemed to be slightly half done, but also somehow overdone. However, the descriptions of scenery were great, and the author managed to achieve some sense of nostalgia and grief. Overall not a dreadful read, but lacked some backbone and I felt as though the author lacked some courage in her own writing.
October 19, 2021
I was very disappointed in this book. I was concerned that sarah’s Son was constantly referred to as the child and not his name. I found it hard to warm to any of the characters and it seemed at times a bit stereotypical with an abusive mother, a controlling father and a spiteful elder sister.
The passages detailing sarah’s Journey through New Zealand and when she is explaining the folklore to her son were the best bits of the book for me.
The passages detailing sarah’s Journey through New Zealand and when she is explaining the folklore to her son were the best bits of the book for me.
February 23, 2022
I was deeply moved by this novella and it truly got me out of a reading slump. The author paints a vivid picture of New Zealand and though we don't spend long with the characters, they felt very human to me. I liked the experimental time frame with alternating chapters set in the past and the present too. It's a genre I could never define but the story lies within the minutiae of the words.
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