Before departing for our wonderful week on the Haida Gwaii archipelago I worked away on blogs that would automatically post during our absence. This one wasn't completed and yet in my flurry it was posted. I'm coming back to it now.
The British novelist Sarah Perry is a wonderful writer whose books have the feel of another time in the best way. We really enjoyed The Essex Serpent and now there is Enlightment. The Guardian reviewer Beejay Silcox manages to capture the premise and essence of this latest Perry novel:
Enlightenment by Sarah Perry review – cosmic strangeness
This defiantly old-fashioned tale of two misfits, a ghost and a blazing comet showcases Perry’s unerring capacity to make the earthly new and strange
This book is also about religion and the "can't live with it, can't live without it" conundrum so many people experience, including one of the central characters who grew up in a stifling, judgmental Christian sect and can't just walk away despite choosing another way of life as a gay man.
I've read about Perry's fundamentalist upbringing from which she has moved away, yet not entirely. There are obvious resonances in the story with her own life and she manages to hold up to the light the serious failings of this form of religion while honouring aspects in a way that could be described as loving.
Since our return a couple of days ago I've returned to Enlightenment and at points have read sentences and paragraphs to Ruth, the writing is so remarkable. I am in awe of the craft and lyricism of Perry's expression. Ruth is looking forward to reading it and I would encourage you to do so as well. The downright spiritual descriptions of astronomy are, well, cosmic.
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