An Instance of the Fingerpost - Iain Pears (Sep/Oct 2021)

[Susan]

Welcome to our buddy read of An Instance of the Fingerpost

Set in Oxford in the 1660s - a time and place of great intellectual, religious, scientific and political ferment - this remarkable novel centres around a young woman, Sarah Blundy, who stands accused of the murder of Robert Grove, a fellow of New College. Four witnesses describe the events surrounding his death: Marco da Cola, a Venetian Catholic intent on claiming credit for the invention of blood transfusion;Jack Prescott, the son of a supposed traitor to the Royalist cause, determined to vindicate his father; John Wallis, chief cryptographer to both Cromwell and Charles II, a mathematician, theologian and master spy; and Anthony Wood, the famous Oxford antiquary.

Each one tells their version of what happened but only one reveals the extraordinary truth. Brilliantly written, utterly convincing, gripping from the first page to the last, An Instance of the Fingerpost is a magnificent tour de force.

Please do not post spoilers in this thread. Thank you.

[Judy]

Thank you for setting up the threads and opening the buddy reads, Susan.

Who is reading this one? I'm nearly 30% of the way through, having completed the first account by Marco da Cola. Not too sure what I think as yet - I'm enjoying the witty narration, but the historical detail feels a bit overwhelming at times and the story moves quite slowly.

[Susan]

I finished this, this weekend. Overall, I enjoyed it more than the previous Iain Pears novel I read. I think I liked the first narrator best and his reaction to Oxford. The setting, shorting after the reformation of the monarchy is an interesting one.

[Rosina]

Should we refer to the first writer as Cola, or da Cola? The narrators seem undecided on this, and unlike Leonardo, it isn't being used literally as a locative surname. Calling him Marco seems unduly familiar.

On a re-read (not my first) I am struck by how the odd, extraneous details from one account become key to understanding a later narrative. The fact that each writer has access to the earlier parts (so can say "This is as I remember it", or "This is a pack of lies!") cuts down on the repetition, and helps to keep details in mind.

[Infosifter]

I reallyEnjoy historical mysteries, so I think I might give this a try. I want to improve my understanding of post-Tudor English history, and this will probably help.

[Frances]

I have started this but expect it will take me a while-I think I'm about an eighth of the way in, still on the first narrator. Enjoying it so far!

[Sandy]

I'm also still with the first narrator and enjoying his opinions of England: people, weather and cities.

[Abigail]

I’m planning to read this after Pietr the Latvian. Literary agents say 17th-century England is a “hot” era to write about for historical fiction authors, so it’ll be interesting.

[Sandy]

Just finished the first narrator and peeked to see who the second would be. Boy was I surprised!

[Judy]

Rosina wrote: "Should we refer to the first writer as Cola, or da Cola? The narrators seem undecided on this, and unlike Leonardo, it isn't being used literally as a locative surname. Calling him Marco seems undu..."


Hmm, I'm not sure - I think of him as "da Cola" but the second narrator referred to him as Cola.

After enjoying the first section, must admit I have found the second section more of a struggle, with not enough about Sarah. I'm hoping things look up with the third narrator.

[Abigail]

I’ve started it (still in the first narrator) and like the style a lot, though the (view spoiler)[experimentation with the dove (hide spoiler)] was very hard for me to take! The language feels archaic without being hard to read, which is a tough balance to strike.

[Frances]

I've just finished the first section and begun the second-I found the first section quite engaging/engrossing, enjoying seeing 17th c England and Oxford through the eyes of a foreigner, and trying to figure out which characters are real/based on known historical figures and which are not.

Agree with Abigail that some of the "realities" are a little hard to take.

[Judy]

I agree with both of you on these elements, Abigail and Frances.

[Jill]

I enjoyed the first narrator, despite the animal experiments, as I realise that were needed.

[Sandy]

I am about half through the second narrator, whom I like a bit less than the first, and I am moving slower. This may change, but so far I have not found a lot of repetition.

[Rosina]

Sandy wrote: "I am about half through the second narrator, whom I like a bit less than the first, and I am moving slower. This may change, but so far I have not found a lot of repetition."

When they do cover the same ground, the later writer does tend to say "I have read Cola's account, and it's essentially true", or "Cola's account is a pack of lies, and this is the truth."

I think there is far more repetition in some of the more traditional mysteries, where the detective is shown asking each person in the house party to describe the events of the evening of the murder.

[Sandy]

Regarding repetition in detective interviews: I am always grateful to the author who says simply "no new information was obtained". The detective may have to hear it all again and again but we don't.

[Jill]

I will refrain from saying anything about the later narrators, as I think that probably belongs in the spoiler thread.

[Sandy]

Finished narrator #2!

[Judy]

I've read nearly three-quarters of this book now, but must say I'm finding it an increasing struggle - clever, but very dry. I enjoyed the first narrator, but the second and third less so.

[Abigail]

I’m still in the first narrator and I like the writing style and plot but am struggling to deal with some of the graphic elements. I set it aside to read something lighter and am not convinced I’ll go back to it.

[Jill]

It was those that I found were repeated and too detailed for my liking.

[Frances]

I'm giving up-I have too many other books for this group and others that I want to read and this one just wasn't holding my interest-I got about half way into the second narrator and just thought-too many books, too little time! I wish you better enjoyment of it than I've had-it certainly has lots of fans on Goodreads!

[Sandy]

I've finished and am glad I stuck with it. Not sure how I will rate it as I never found it a compelling read. Off to the spoiler thread.

[Judy]

I'm getting towards the end now and enjoying it again now - I think for me it's a book that starts well, sags somewhat in the middle and is now picking up again.

[Rosina]

Judy wrote: "I'm getting towards the end now and enjoying it again now - I think for me it's a book that starts well, sags somewhat in the middle and is now picking up again."

I wonder if it's the unpleasantness of the second and third narrators that saps people's commitment. The first and fourth are more appealing characters.

[Judy]

That was what I felt too, Rosina - the first and fourth narrators are much better reads, for me.

[Roman Clodia]

I don't mind - can even relish! - unpleasant narrators so that wasn't the issue for me, but I felt that the book was too long for the story and got bogged down in details that were actually dead ends. If it had been brisker, it would have worked better for me as I actually thought the dovetailing of narratives was clever and accomplished... but I got bored!

[Jill]

I agree, it was way too long with irrelevances. Once it was established the Prescott was mentally unstable, I had,had enough of him.

[Judy]

I agree - I don't mind unpleasant narrators if they are interesting, but these were both unpleasant and boring. A shame as I really enjoyed both the first and fourth narrators.