SPIN by Robert Charles Wilson
So, I just finished the extraordinary novel SPIN by Robert Charles Wilson. It seems now that every Christmas I’m innundated with a supply of Borders gift cards, which I use to buy about a dozen or so books. SPIN was near the top of the stack, but it took me quite a long time to get to it.
“Breathtaking,” says the blurb from Publisher’s Weekly on the cover. I have to agree. I step away with a sense of satisfaction I haven’t gotten from a novel in quite awhile, and a genuine sadness for parting ways with its engaging characters.
SPIN is a story of three children — Tyler, the narrator, and Jason and Diane, twin siblings — and the effect on their lives of a cosmic event called “Spin.” On one cold winter night, the three are out stargazing when the stars suddenly go out and the sky turns black. The Earth is encased within a membrane that slows the passage of time, with millions of years in the universe passing on Earth within minutes. As the three age and find their lives linked to cosmic forces greater than themselves, it becomes apparent that someday soon the sun will die, as will all life on Earth.
To say more will spoil the novel, but readers looking for a great hard science fiction novel about human relationships should look no further. Permeated with sadness and longing, SPIN is a remarkable read. I’m probably going to put reading aside for the next few weeks until the release of the final HARRY POTTER novel. It would be unfair to compare lesser works to this beautiful book.
Book Reviews | jeff | 18 June 2007 |
