The Illuminations

Name: The Illuminations
Brand: Allen & Unwin
SKU: 9780571273669
Price: 24.99 NZD
Availability: InStock

By Andrew O'Hagan

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3.42

( 2,142 ratings, 321 reviews)

Summary

Andrew O'Hagan's The Illuminations follows a touching narrative about Anne Quirk, a retired woman battling memory loss, and her grandson Luke, a soldier returning from Afghanistan. As their stories intertwine, the novel explores themes of family, memory, and the impact of war, revealing deep personal histories and the connections between past and present.
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Format: Paperback / softback

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The Illuminations

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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This book may appeal to you if you're intrigued by stories that explore the intersections of personal discovery and historical legacies. The narrative fuses a poignant family tale with a journey that uncovers deep, often hidden truths, making it ideal for readers who enjoy a rich tapestry of emotions and insights.

The Illuminations

Andrew O'Hagan's fifth novel is a beautiful, deeply charged story about love and memory, about modern war and the complications of fact.

Andrew O'Hagan's fifth novel is a beautiful, deeply charged story about love and memory, about modern war and the complications of fact.

Description

How much do we keep from the people we love? Why is the truth so often buried in secrets? Can we learn from the past or must we forget it?

Standing one evening at the window of her house by the sea, Anne Quirk sees a rabbit disappearing in the snow. Nobody remembers her now, but this elderly woman was in her youth a pioneer of British documentary photography. Her beloved grandson, Luke, now a captain with the Royal Western Fusiliers, is on a tour of duty in Afghanistan, part of a convoy taking equipment to the electricity plant at Kajaki.

Only when Luke returns home to Scotland does Anne's secret story begin to emerge, along with his, and they set out for an old guest house in Blackpool where she once kept a room.

The Illuminations explores the complex legacies of war and memory, asking probing questions about the truths we hide and the familial bonds that tether us to history.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

The Illuminations by Andrew O'Hagan is praised for its intricate exploration of memory and family dynamics. Reviewers commend O'Hagan's ability to intertwine a poignant narrative with vivid character development, particularly highlighting the depth of the relationship between an elderly woman and her soldier grandson. The prose is often described as elegant and thought-provoking, effectively capturing themes of war, identity, and the passage of time.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780571273669

Publisher: Faber & Faber

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 31 December 2015

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Faber & Faber

Edition: Main

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 18.0mm

Width: 130.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 245g

Pages: 320

Collections

Andrew O'Hagan Fiction General Fiction Literary Fiction

About the Author

Andrew O'Hagan is one of his generation's most exciting and most serious chroniclers of contemporary Britain. He has twice been nominated for the Man Booker Prize. He was voted one of Granta's Best of Young British Novelists in 2003. He has won the Los Angeles Times Book Award and the E.M. Forster Award from the American Academy of Arts Letters. He lives in London.