So, it’s been a long, long number of years awaiting a new Diane Setterfield novel. 7 years to be exact. The Thirteenth Tale was a favoured book for me for certain. Now, thanks once again to Random House Canada, I have been awarded her latest and much anticipated Bellman & Black. Just in time for some hauntingly great reading!
There is a quick, quick book trailer here for you to view which gives only slight insight as to what Bellman & Black is about. The Rook is a featured character (made obvious by this trailer), and her description of them is pure pleasure for the reader’s eyes.
Setterfield is not disappointing me so far as she writes with great beauty and description but none of it over-done or superfluous in any way. For example, Setterfield’s Rook:
“A rook’s feathers can shimmer with dazzling peacock colours yet factually speaking thee is no blue or purple or green pigment in a rook. Satin black on his back and head, on his front and towards his legs his blackness softens and deepens to velvet black….His black feathers are capable of producing an entrancing optical effect….He captures the light, splits it, absorbs some and radiates the rest in a delightful demonstration of optics, showing you the truth about light that your own poor eyes cannot see.”
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9nBf-ENkRU]
As a boy, William Bellman commits one small cruel act that appears to have unforseen and terrible consequences. The killing of a rook with his catapult is soon forgotten amidst the riot of boyhood games. And by the time he is grown, with a wife and children of his own, he seems indeed, to be a man blessed by fortune.
Until tragedy strikes, and the stranger in black comes, and William Bellman starts to wonder if all his happiness is about to be eclipsed. Desperate to save the one precious thing he has left, he enters into a bargain. A rather strange bargain, with an even stranger partner, to found a decidedly macabre business.
And Bellman & Black is born. (dianesetterfield.com)
5 Comments
Ooh, yay a new one from her!
There certainly seems to be two distinct camps for Setterfield. People either loathed The Thirteenth Tale or they loved it (my camp.) I’m not that far in to Bellman & Black yet, but there has been such a long wait between the two books that I don’t think I could realistically compare them. We shall soon find out….;-)
B&B is on my list for November and I’ve been looking quite forward to it. But to be honest, the trailer doesn’t do much for me. I loved THE THIRTEENTH TALE, but I’m not sure how I’m going to feel about her new one.
I was totally disappointed. I wonder how you feel now that you may have finished.
Hi Cassie, well….I’m about half way through….and ummm, I guess I have to say that so far I’m not strongly compelled to run back to it every chance I get and I think so far it’s just “okay”. I don’t think I’ve gotten to any part that is super crucial yet, so we shall see! Thanks for stopping by Cassie! I should be done within the week and will post my thoughts soon after. ;-)