Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Interesting but frustrating, 21 May 2007
'The Brief History of the Dead' begins with an intriguing proposition - what if the recently deceased are somehow, somewhere kept 'alive' by the memories of those who still think about them? Alternate chapters are set in a place (known only as 'the city') where this is, indeed, the case; where the dead exist in a state that is between heaven and earth, between life and oblivion. The rest of the chapters tell the story of Laura, apparently the only remaining member of a failed Antarctic expedition, fighting to save her own life.
The notion of 'the city' was what really made this book stand out to me - it's an idea straight out of a fantasy novel, yet Brockmeier handles the concept with such care that it seems not only believable, but almost mundane. After the first few chapters, I found myself more captivated by the 'real' world inhabited by Laura. Through a number of brief flashbacks to pre-Antarctica events in Laura's life, the writer makes it clear that the story is set in the near future - an era close enough to the reader's to make it recognisable, but one completely dominated by obsessive fear of terrorist attacks, and one in which multinational corporations use guerrila tactics to advertise their products (Laura works for Coca-Cola, so the company is frequently referenced). But frustratingly, Brockmeier never offers us anything more than brief glimpses into this world.
It quickly becomes obvious that this book is in the habit of touching on potentially fascinating themes which are then left unexplained. As other reviewers have remarked, the link between Laura and 'the city' becomes clear quickly, so the only major source of dramatic tension is taken away quite early on. Incidents from Laura's past are described, then left alone without any justification of their presence in the story; the chapters set in 'the city' jump from character to character, so you're never quite sure who the protagonists are. The near-future-world is interesting enough to be made a story in its own right, and the same can be said of many of the characters, so it's especially annoying that we learn so little about them. Brockmeier is certainly a capable writer; that much is evident from his constant ability to make the reader interested in minor characters. But this book is too ambitious for its own length. It bursts with potential plots, which - if expanded on properly - could have been turned into a truly epic novel, yet it's only 270 pages long.
This is a diverting, interesting little book; it holds your attention throughout, and its two threads are cleverly woven together. But ultimately, when you read the last page, it's hard to shake the feeling that you've devoted several hours to a story in which very little has actually happened, and frequent promises of excitement have failed to come to anything. It's often frustrating and leaves many questions unanswered - though that may well have been Brockmeier's intention. 'The Brief History of the Dead' would probably be perfect as a holiday read, but if - like me - you prefer more substance to your fiction, it's one to avoid.
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6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A provocative exploration of a fascinating idea., 7 Mar 2006
The initial attraction of this novel is its fascinating premise of 'The City of the Dead', inhabited by the recently 'departed' who are not wholly dead for they still 'live' in the memories of the living; only when the last person who knew them in life dies, do they pass to the realm of 'the dead'.It has to be said that this is a very well-written tale. The author provides an articulate and readily readable style, with well-drawn characterisation and locations. The struggle of Laura Byrd's solitary struggle for survival in the Antarctic, counterpointed by the on-going repurcussions in the city of the dead makes for compelling attention from the reader. The Antarctic's cruel beauty is strongly evoked in the narrative.... or was it just that I was reading this with lots of snow outside my own home at the time? The unravelling tale (not to be spoilt by more detail here) certainly provokes thought, conjecture and evaluation of our own life, loves and memories. It touches upon a number of philosophical conundrums regarding life, the universe and our position in it. I thoroughly enjoyed the book, but only have the one reservation.... the ending. Did the developing plot/narrative back itself into an inevitable cul de sac? Provoked by many thoughts and conjectures throughout the novel (a reason in itself to read it) I did feel rather let down by the resolution or ending, if it can be called that. Is it me, and have I missed some great spiritual meaning and insight at the end, or have I just been conned by a pseudo-esoteric ploy to appear to present a conclusion to a tale that promised (perhaps needed) a more satisfying twist or encapsulating denouement? I notice that Warner Brothers have immediately bought the film rights.... well, the film will have to manufacture a more convincing ending. But do not be put off reading this book. It does provoke thought and offers a refreshingly original idea to savour.... and you can't say that of a lot of current fiction.
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4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
The brief history? Perhaps a little too brief..., 21 April 2007
You can't fail to be intrigued by a title such as this, and the accompanying publishers blurb on the back cover only adds to the interest; "Imagine a place between heaven and earth. A city where everyone ends up after they die..."
Brockmeier has a very readable, accessable style:elsewhere it is described as lyrical, and there is a simplistic and unfussy beauty to it as he tells the stories of The City inhabited by those who have died and the plight of Laura Byrd, a wildlife specialst employed by the Coca Cola company to investigate the Antarctic ice to check its purety for possible soft drink use.
The idea of a city of the dead, whose inhabitants exist only as long as those still alive remember them, is ingeniously portrayed, with a host of well defined characters. That these characters are aware of how they ended up in the city, and why suddenly some disappear, adds another level to the story.
Other reviewers have mentioned the "But" element of the novel, and they are correct: the end is guessed too quickly, the final third of the novel, however finely expressed and imaginatively written, leaves the reader a little underwhelmed at the end, almost to the point of exclaiming:"Is that it?"
And that is a shame, because this is a book that offers intriguing ideas and throws up many questions, and deserves to be read.
Brockmeier can certainly tell a story, even though he seems not entirely certain in this one how to end it. But that may be exactly how he intended it.
A very, very good read, all the same.
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