Mammoth

A story narrated by a mammoth is definitely an original concept which in the humorous and thought provoking  book, Mammoth, by Chris Flynn works well.

It is 2007 and the remains of a mammoth and a tyrannosaurus bataar are stored in a large room waiting to be auctioned the following day. They are later joined by fossils of other prehistoric life plus an Egyptian mummy. To fill in the time Mammoth or Mammut as he calls himself, with frequent interjections from his companions, proceeds to tell the story of his long life, demise and adventures after his bones were initially unearthed in 1801. As it had been 13,354 years since Mammut died, his is a long story, made even longer with the interruptions and banter from his companions who also contribute information about their previous lives.

 As well as covering life in the times of mammoths and, even earlier, dinosaurs, events leading to the extinction of these creatures are discussed in Mammut's story. References to climate change are made as well as to more recent events such as  the relations between the newly independent American colonies with the French, the Irish Rebellion in 1803 and the encroachment of white settlers into Indian territory. The illegal smuggling of dinosaur bones is also referred to.

At the beginning of each chapter there is a drawing of a mammoth in different stages of decay as time elapses. However at the end though there is once again a picture of a triumphant mammoth suggesting that all is not lost and there may be hope for the future. In the final sections of the book the author describes an actual auction of bones and fossils that took place in 2007 and what happened to some of the purchases. There is also a bibliography at the end of the novel.

Mammoth is an entertaining book well worth reading.

Books & Publishing (28 February 2020) - The elephant in the room - interview with Chris Flynn

Theresa Smith Writes (24 May 2020) - Book review: Mammoth by Chris Flynn

Gone Girl

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn was published in 2013 and has been on the reservation list in the library for most of that time, so when it temporarily became available I borrowed it. The screening of the film has renewed interest in the book and the reservation list for this title has once again grown.

The plot is relatively simple. Nick comes home to find his wife, Amy, missing and the police consider Nick as the main suspect. However as the story unfolds the many twists and turns keep the reader guessing as to the outcome. The story is told in alternate chapters by Nick and Amy. The story is also revealed by the two main characters in different time-frames. In part one Nick's account begins from the day Amy disappears while Amy's account is told in segments from her diary dating back to when she and Nick first met. Later in the book the accounts run parallel to each other. We learn what is happening therefore entirely from the viewpoint of Nick and Amy. There are other characters but we only know of them when Nick or Amy refer to them.

The book is therefore largely about relationships. How well does one really know another person? It looks at the progression of a marriage over time and how well the husband and wife really understand the feelings of their partner. Amy's disappearance is investigated as a crime and and there is some suspense as different characters become suspects. However we do not really get to know the supporting characters apart from comments made about them by Nick or Amy. What we learn about Nick and Amy is also discovered by piecing together their stories and as the book progresses it is difficult to separate the fact from fiction.

I did not really like any of the characters in the book - Nick and Amy are definitely not likeable characters - and this made it difficult for me to really feel involvement with their story. However the device of alternating the two voices was good and some of the twists in the plot worked well. Generally I thought that the book was too long and it was really only determination that made me finish reading the book rather than a desire to find out what happened.