This book opens with the birth of its central character, Serge Carrefax, in 1898. His father runs a school for the deaf and conducts wireless experiments. His mother tends to silkworms. His older sister Sophie conducts scientific experiments, and later, he joins in. Each sibling exhibits an inability to relate to others on an emotional level. The storyline traces Serge’s life. He experiences a trauma involving Sophie, aviation service in the Great War, drug addiction and séance busting in London, and a postwar stint in Egypt. His world becomes increasingly reliant on communications technology.
The central theme is communication, particularly the way technological improvements can serve as both enablers and impediments. It contains many references to encoding, decoding, symbols, static, ciphers, signals, messages, language, and everything from the Rosetta Stone to early television transmissions. It is an ambitious novel that requires close attention. It is historical fiction that covers early innovations in communications and modern warfare while also exploring how technology shapes human experience. I found it intellectually engaging.
This book opens with the birth of its central character, Serge Carrefax, in 1898. His father runs a school for the deaf and conducts wireless experiments. His mother tends to silkworms. His older sister Sophie conducts scientific experiments, and later, he joins in. Each sibling exhibits an inability to relate to others on an emotional level. The storyline traces Serge’s life. He experiences a trauma involving Sophie, aviation service in the Great War, drug addiction and séance busting in London, and a postwar stint in Egypt. His world becomes increasingly reliant on communications technology.
The central theme is communication, particularly the way technological improvements can serve as both enablers and impediments. It contains many references to encoding, decoding, symbols, static, ciphers, signals, messages, language, and everything from the Rosetta Stone to early television transmissions. It is an ambitious novel that requires close attention. It is historical fiction that covers early innovations in communications and modern warfare while also exploring how technology shapes human experience. I found it intellectually engaging.