John Boyne has embarked on an audacious endeavour to produce a set of four interrelated novellas dealing with the theme of abuse from various standpoints. This inventive arrangement of issuing four separate books, each representing one of the essential elements, launched every six months, is both artistically alluring and remarkably market-savvy.
The narrative of Water, the predecessor, introduced us to a woman seeking refuge on an island after her spouse was apprehended for the sexual violation of young females. Earth, the subsequent addition, focuses on a character named Evan from Water, advancing his storyline a couple of years later.
Presently situated in England, Evan earns a high wage as a professional football player. The tale lands Evan and his colleague, Robbie, in the middle of a high-stake rape court case, with crucial evidence in the form of a video residing in Evan’s now mysteriously vanished phone.
Earth holds a sterner tone compared to Water, presenting an intense encounter with various modes of abuse. It addresses stark abuse of rape in the trial, while employing Evan’s connection with his dad to navigate implicit manipulations such as emotional neglect and rejection by a parent.
Identifying as gay and harbouring aspirations to become an artist, Evan finds himself in the middle of his football-loving father’s detached demeanour and withheld love. Like Water, shame is a predominant theme in Earth, with Boyne deftly portraying how pervasive and destructive it can be within contexts of sexual activity, social standing, and personal identity.
Despite their modest sizes, the narratives overflow with significant concepts, ethical dilemmas, and socio-political commentaries, making them excellent fodder for book clubs owing to their potential for comprehensive discussions. Boyne, the pen behind chart-topping novels such as The Heart’s Invisible Furies and The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas, does not settle for complacency with Earth, instead forms an admirable attempt for something novel.
Expectedly, the completion of all four instalments would deliver a rich reading experience, allowing us to revisit the stories and relish the layers of the narrative through the lens of the finished quartet.