Aftershocks by A N Wilson - review by Ian Critchley

Ian Critchley

Moving Heaven & Earth

Aftershocks

By

Atlantic Books 273pp £16.99
 

A N Wilson’s new novel describes an earthquake that hits a city in a former British colony in the Pacific. He is at pains to say in a note at the beginning of the book that his fictional country, the Island, is not based on New Zealand, and that the earthquake that destroys his fictional city of Aberdeen is not intended to mimic the one that devastated Christ-church in 2011.

It’s a strangely unnecessary thing to say up front – why close off resonances before the reader has even begun reading? Once the novel gets going, however, Wilson builds up the historical, political and social background of the Island superbly. The Island, we are told, was first settled in the

Sign Up to our newsletter

Receive free articles, highlights from the archive, news, details of prizes, and much more.

RLF - March

A Mirror - Westend

Follow Literary Review on Twitter