Year of the Locust - Terry Hayes

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I really enjoyed his first novel “I am pilgrim”, which I listened to on Audiobook so I thought I’d give this one ago. I’m glad I did. It did seem quite daunting given the size of the book, although I did also listen to this as an audiobook. 

It felt to me like this could easily be three separate novels. Having said that the three story lines were related, so in my head, I decided to look upon it as a trilogy, but all intertwined in one book.

Hats off to the actor reading this! What a mammoth task and done so well. 

It did feel like a novel in the spy genre for the first two thirds, which then kind of morphed into science fiction/horror. You know what they say about this kind of science fiction though… it’s only a matter of time before it’s fact. 

Like the previous novel it felt a little bit all over the place not only in terms of the plot. This one similarly but not only the plot - it’s puzzling what genre it is (spy/thriller/science fiction/horror)? Having said that I must have enjoyed it as I was compelled to continue and eagerly awaited each new chapter to find out what the hell was going on!

The final confrontation was so dragged out it reminded me of the death of the Frog King in Shrek 2. I found myself yelling at the car sound system at every frustrated attempt to reach a conclusion.

Trying not to give away spoilers… couldn’t help thinking at the end ‘why didn’t he video what was happening in the final third of the book to take back to authorities so diplomatic links could be forged to prevent what happened’?? …also, I loved the way the characters had their stories and what happened to them in their futures BUT what about the ‘event’ itself? The circumstances leading to the final third of the novel may have been ‘solved’ but the ‘conditions’ would still be there in case it happened again, by accident or otherwise… in trying not to give spoilers I’ve been extremely obscure to the point of confusing and NOW you’ll HAVE to read it! 😝

I set out assuming this would score less than 4 (which I scored Pilgrim) based on other reviews, but I can’t help but give it 5 stars purely on the basis that it’s the most intriguing book I’ve read in a long time - genuinely dragging me along in anticipation of the next twist in reality. Thoroughly enjoyed it. Sometimes there are audiobooks that become part of your life and you miss them when you’re finished. This was one of them.

I’d say this would also be impossible to film so don’t hold your breath waiting for a movie 🍿 

I’d certainly go for a third novel by this author, although it looks like he takes his time writing them. (Not surprisingly!)

Hiatus

Had a bit of a break from Blogger mainly because I found the site a bit difficult to navigate.

Now I’ve retired and I have more time to struggle with technology I thought I’d get back into the blog. It still looks like I’m struggling with the technology though. The app on my phone doesn’t seem to work properly and I’ve had to resort to sending ‘a letter’.

I guess practice makes perfect. A lot has happened since my last post. The country has completely gone to shit since doing well at the Olympics in London. Helen and I have now lost BOTH parents and Freddie is in the 4th year at school (year 10 to the young ‘uns).

I’m learning new things. I was frustrated to learn that I wasn’t eligible for a student loan as I already had a degree, even though I paid for it myself way back then. Gutted actually as I was really hoping to do Marine Biology and Oceanography in Bangor. My advice? Wait until you know what to do and don’t do ‘psychology’… it’s not even a proper science (…because you are essentially studying yourself yeah).

Never mind… instead I am using the time instead

to learn the ukulele and (currently) HTML (…have enrolled in Code Academy and plan CSS, JavaScript and Python next). Yeah right - my reaction to the struggle with technology!

Syria

President Obama and his Secretary of State John Kerry are putting pressure on the Government of another country to change a decision that was democratically made only a few days previously. No - not an African country this time but the UK.

What I found astounding is that Obama has his own vote in his own Government, which we are led to believe is far from a foregone conclusion. Reports say there is a good chance he will lose the vote for permission to bomb the Syrians in order to save them.

I'm left feeling that if our Government HAD voted to strike Syria then we would have been doing it alone without the Americans. Worse than that, if Cameron capitulates and has a second vote in which the hawks win - and the American Government then votes against we would be left an a very sticky wicket care of Obama and co. Cheers guys.

It might be a special relationship, but sometimes it feels like we're being cheated on.

Downturn Abbey

It must be very comforting for the thousands of students forced into heavy debt to hear Cameron’s advice on credit cards and loans!

I don’t think I am happy to be lectured to by an out of touch prime minister on my own economic behaviour, as if I am to blame for the UK’s economic demise.

I might be more willing to listen if the Government analysed its own spending behaviour. The recent credit card purchases I can’t really afford amount to a couple of CDs from play.com and some tickets to the Kaiser Chiefs in Llandudno. I haven’t, for example, recently bought a nuclear missile system for £19 billion that will be obsolete before it is installed just to keep the United States happy!

Broken Britain

It is just sinking in what David Cameron actually said about the recent riots when he appeared on TV...

(We have to remember that there weren't any riots in Wales, Scotland, or even Northern Ireland!)

He said "There are parts of Britain that are not just broken, but quite frankly - sick!"

Yes David - it's the bit called England!

Bear Necessities

That polar bear thing is in the news again.

Just when you might think that a sharp shooting Norwegian gunman might come in handy – there isn’t one around. The incident has queried my pitch as a therapist too. When dealing with post traumatic stress, and intrusive thoughts in particular, I try to convey the idea that the more we try not to think of something, it pushes it’s way in. “Think of a Polar Bear…” I usually start to say, only now… I’m not so sure it is a good example.

Something like this always causes questions over school trips. The danger is that we will overcompensate and refuse to take the school kids walking in the woods for fear of stinging nettles and resulting litigation. On that basis you would have thought Svalbard was quite safe (no stinging nettles).

Before the litigation frenzy squad start banning school outings I think we need to consider the following…

1 - Polar Bears eat people. That’s what they do.

2 - Polar Bears live in Svalbard, and they particularly hate campers it would seem.

3 - Don’t go to Svalbard unless you are prepared to stay in a nice hotel.

The thing is, my niece went to Las Vegas for her school based holiday – so it occurs to me that the parents concerned need to consider moving their child to a different school. Colwyn Bay High School perhaps.

Classical Conditioning

I was walking the dogs this morning at 7.30 am listening to the Radio 4 'Today' programme on my DAB radio.

Evan Davis made two announcements that caused me to have immediate automatic thoughts, experience subsequent emotions and definite physical symptoms.

Firstly he said that Nick Clegg was going to make a statement later today (to which I felt fearful, dismayed and wondered what the bad news was going to be). A few moments later he announced that David Cameron was also going to be making a statement (and to this my immediate reaction was "oh, excellent! - what's the good news going to be?").

Pavlov is alive and well and working for the Tory Party spin doctoring department.

Perhaps the Liberal Democrats need to employ experimental psychologists in their spin doctoring department too. Milgram perhaps. He could get Clegg to electrocute Cameron through the method of making him believe it is the right thing to do...