A Green and Ancient Light

This was lovely, one of those gentle, fable-like stories that feels almost timeless, like a memory or the smaller moments in Narnia. Durbin’s gone out of his way to make the story placeless too, only talking about “the village” and “the mountain” and “Mrs. T——” and that helps to make this story feel … not exactly universal, but like it could have happened almost anywhere, including my own backyard and that Norwegian fjord I saw in a calendar one time. That feeling, of a story almost without roots, is magical in its own right, and a big part of what sucked me in.

(Then there’s the light touch of descriptions, the simple, factual narration, the truth and warmth in the characters that makes me want to meet all show more them—except the Major—, the surrealness of the garden and its statuary….)

As for the plot itself, I really enjoyed how small the story was, how low the stakes were. Not every story needs to have life or death, end of the world struggles to be captivating, you know? The mysteries in the garden and the danger of hiding R—— are more than enough to keep everything moving and to provide a satisfying ending. The climax felt like locking the last piece into a jigsaw, that perfect moment of understanding and release.

This is, in summary, perfectly balanced in every way, and charming because of it. Other books, you’re reading for the characters or the plot or the issues. This one, you’re reading for the experience. To wildly borrow from one of the cover blurbs, it’s a bit like getting hugged by Neil Gaiman.

Warnings: Not for this one.

8/10 show less

What I expected was a standard, but entertaining, story about partisans who hide an enemy combatant. What I got was much more delightful - a beautiful coming of age story set in a woods filled with mysterious statues. I was hooked about 30 pages in, when the author reveals the truth about Grandmother's friend. Part mystery and part fantasy, the book touches on the innocence of childhood and the longing for a secret place. The ongoing war is kept in the background, providing just a hint of danger, along with the aching of separation that conflict always brings. Although marketed for adults, I would give this to teens or older children as well.

In an alternate Italy in World War 2, a nine year old boy has been sent to spend the summer with his grandmother in her rural home, safely away from the fighting and bombings. His father is in the army, and his mother is recovering from giving birth. He misses his family and friends, and is somewhat bored by country life. Then one day an enemy plane comes screaming over the village and crashes into the bay. This event turns everything upside down.

That night, a quiet knock comes on the grandmother’s back door. It’s an old friend of hers, needing help. The boy gets multiple shocks that night; the enemy pilot is alive, his grandmother is capable of sewing up people, the old friend is a faun, and there is an overgrown garden of stone show more monsters in the woods where the other villagers never go.

As the days go by with the pilot healing, the boy explores both the stone monsters and his grandmother’s past. It’s a magical time for him, but reality intrudes constantly; a major arrives with a unit of men, bent of locating the missing enemy pilot. They make the boy’s explorations difficult to say the least. Between keeping the pilot hidden and trying to figure out what the inscriptions of the stone monsters mean, he and his grandmother have their hands full. And it will turn out that both those endeavors have a common answer.

The prose is so stunningly beautiful that it took my breath away. I’d be willing to say that this book will be a new classic; it’s up there with Ray Bradbury, C.S. Lewis, J.M. Barrie, and Charles de Lint. The story unfolds slowly but steadily. It’s as much an adventure of the mind as of the body. Told by the narrator in adulthood but with the eyes of a nine year old, it’s an enchanted tale, suitable for kids to adults. show less

Really, this earns 4.5 stars for its imaginative story, beautifully rendered characters, and emotionally evocative writing. For those who do not like fantasy, do not be put off by the label. If you read (or listen) to the book, I truly believe you will be enriched by it. There is gentle wisdom nestled in its lines, and a wistful-yet-content approach to growing up and growing old.
[Audiobook note: The reader is quite good, but you will definitely want to play this at about 125% speed.]

I'm tempted to call Frederic Durbin the master of setting. I loved his description of an October evening in Dragonfly. I wanted more stories that explored the world of the Rake in The Star Shard. Now, in A Green and Ancient Light, he dropped me into a small seaside village and a secluded grove filled with bizarre statues that I delighted to explore with the hero. It's a tale of a nine-year-old boy who is spending the summer with his grandmother while his mother cares for his infant sister and his father is away with the war. Which war is never specified. Neither are the names of the country, village or even the characters.* An enemy pilot is shot down nearby and is discovered by Girandole, a friend of the grandmother. Girandole has a show more name because he's somewhat unusual. Since Grandmother doesn't consider the wounded pilot an enemy, she treats his wounds and the trio hide him out in the grove. The grove itself is a puzzle, perhaps connected to a world of legend. The story then is a blend of the task of hiding the pilot and unraveling the mystery of the statuary.

I didn't find the story as compelling as Mr. Durbin's previous novels. However, I can't help but love how Mr. Durbin made it all so real, mixing in small little mundane details while still keeping a sense of mystery and magic. It's definitely a book worth checking out.
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* I don't know why he redacted all the names, but it does make for a second mystery to unravel. The clues are all there, though I have to confess that I didn't really puzzle out where the story took place before I read the answer in the acknowledgements.
--J. show less

I am impressed with Frederic Durbin's mastery of language and style. The story is beautiful. It contains wonder, mystery, kindness, and love. I plan on nominating this work for a Hugo award. It has also earned a permanent spot in my library.

Despite the fantasy elements, I found this book extremely boring and stopped reading after about 80 pages. The book nothing more than one long chapter with only infrequent section breaks to break things up. It makes the book hard to read because there is no break. Another thing is the lack any specifics. Its clear that the story takes place in the English countryside during WWII, but nothing has any name. One particular point is the use of M------- instead of peoples names. Coming across these in the text really breaks the immersions. Phrases, like "How are you doing today, M-------" the grandmother clearly has a name so why don't you tell us?

Overall this book is a big disappointment. Fortunately, I got it from the library so it didn't show more cost me anything. show less