The Great Fire - General (No Spoilers)

[Hugh]

This is the welcome thread for the discussion of The Great Fire, the last novel by Shirley Hazzard, who was born in Australia but later lived in America, which allowed it to win the unusual double of National Book Award and Miles Franklin Prize, as well as being longlisted for the Booker.
The book is set in 1947 and explores the complex aftermath of the Second World War, specifically in Asia, through the lives of Aldred Leith, a soldier and war hero posted to Japan to witness the aftermath of Hiroshima and Helen Driscoll, the young woman he falls for who struggles to escape the protection of tyrannical parents.
A few reviews:
Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/books/200...
New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2003/10/24/bo...
The Atlantic: https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/...

Who will be joining me, and what are your previous experiences of reading Hazzard?

[Mark]

I read it recently. I left the book disappointed, but I don't really remember why. I'll be watching the discussion to see if I can spot why. (I think I was hoping for more detail about Hiroshima. )

[Jenna]

Hey Hugh, whose synopsis is that? Because it does not line up with my experience of this book very well. For example, its a very internal personal "aftermath," not really about Asia specifically I don't think (I'm only half way but so far none of the characters are Asian), I would say more of a meditation of surviving and loss, keeping your soul intact and being able to connect to people after transgressing your normal peace time values in war. The war deaths contrasted with the civilian deaths, the disparate impact that has on the survivors. It feels like a late book to me - meditative and meaning of life focused.

[Hugh]

Sorry, I wrote it myself and probably should have given it more thought - I may change it. What I meant was that the settings are Asian, at least in the first half of the book, apart from what is remembered. I agree with a lot of what you say.

[Suzy]

I'm about 1/4 through the book. I just jumped in and had no idea of what to expect, but am appreciating, to Jenna's point, the meditative quality of Aldred's reminiscences. about his life experiences. Interesting that his thoughts are all over the map (literally!), but I'm easily flowing with the book.
I started out in audio, but didn't work for me. I think Hazzard's writing needs to be seen.

[LindaJ^]

I read this in January 2018 after finding an unmarked, first edition, on the used book, rolling shelves, outside a local independent bookstore for $2. It is the only book by Hazzard I've read and I thought it quite good, as the first two sentences of my review remind me: What a profound but sleepy novel. The prose is exquisite. I do not intend to re-read but will follow the discussion with interest.

[Jenna]

Hugh wrote: "Sorry, I wrote it myself "

lol, its hard to capture a novel without much of plot like this one :) I find it very intriguing to have the war so present and yet so much in the background - it seems quite realistic in how one might live in that immediate aftermath. Given that remoteness, I started thinking about why set it in Asia as opposed to the many other post-war theaters. I've had a bit more of Peter's perspective now, and one possibility is contrasting between ways of official remembrances - through law and the war crimes tribunal with Peter versus Aldred's more nostalgic "extended farewell" of interviews in a society rapidly being overrun by the advancing communist revolution. This creates the situation in which he is losing his home as a result of war, even if he has other residences on which he can fall back, so a victor but also displaced emotionally and geographically. Okay I'm rambling. But I really am enjoying this. I love her staccato and elliptical writing style. And having read Transit of Venus reissued this year its fun seeing the arch of her thoughts about relationships and attachment.