It’s the first Saturday of the month which means it’s time for another Six Degrees of Separation, hosted by Kate of Books are my Favourite and Best. The idea is that Kate chooses a book to use as a starting point and then we have to link it to six other books of our choice to form a chain. A book doesn’t have to be connected to all of the others on the list – only to the one next to it in the chain.
This month we’re starting with Land by Maggie O’Farrell. I haven’t read it, but am thinking about it. I didn’t love Hamnet as much as most people seem to have done, but would like to try more of her books and Land sounds interesting. Here’s what it’s about:
On a windswept peninsula stretching out into the Atlantic, Tomás and his reluctant son, Liam, are working for the great Ordnance Survey project to map the whole of Ireland. The year is 1865, and in a country not long since ravaged and emptied by the Great Hunger, the task is not an easy one. Tomás, however, is determined that his maps will be a record of the disaster.
The British soldiers in charge are due to arrive any day, expecting the work to be completed, but Tomás is sent off course by an unsettling encounter in a copse. His life, and those of his family, will never be the same again. Liam is terrified by the sudden change in his taciturn father. What was it that caused such cracks to open in Tomás and how is Liam, aged only ten, going to finish the mapping, and get them both home?
I’m going to use mapping as my first link. Harvest by Jim Crace (1) explores the reactions of a small rural community to the arrival of a ‘chart-maker’ who begins to measure and map their land – and their discovery that there are plans to enclose their fields and convert them to sheep farming. This is an unusual novel because we aren’t told exactly when or where it is set, leaving everything vague and timeless.
I have read another book with Harvest in the title: Random Harvest by James Hilton (2). This 1941 novel tells the story of Charles Rainier who is injured on a battlefield in France in 1917 and wakes up two years later in Liverpool with no memory at all of the intervening period. I loved this book and was completely taken by surprise by the ending.
Hilton, of course, is the name of a famous hotel chain. A book set in a hotel (though not a Hilton) is The Christmas Clue by Nicola Upson (3). Anthony and Elva Pratt, creators of the game Cluedo, are invited to host a murder mystery weekend at the Tudor Close Hotel – but before they even arrive, they find themselves with a real crime to solve. I found this an enjoyable Christmas read combining historical people and events with a fictional story.
Nicola Upson is better known for her series of novels featuring the classic crime author Josephine Tey in the role of a detective. My next link, then, is to a book by Tey herself: The Daughter of Time (4), in which Inspector Alan Grant has a broken leg and decides to investigate the alleged crimes of Richard III from his hospital bed. Reading everything he can find about Richard and the disappearances of the Princes in the Tower, Grant begins to discover that historical sources can’t always be trusted and that history is written by the victors.
Old God’s Time by Sebastian Barry (5) shares a word in the title. Set in Ireland, this novel follows retired police detective Tom Kettle as he looks back at his memories of a case from the 1960s which has been reopened. It involves one of the darkest episodes in the history of the Catholic Church and is not a comfortable book to read but Barry’s writing is as beautiful as ever.
The name Kettle makes me think of cups of tea, so my final book is Tea on Sunday by Lettice Cooper (6). Her only mystery novel, it was published in 1973 but feels like a much older book. The plot revolves around the death of Alberta Mansbridge, found strangled in her home as she waits for her guests to arrive for a tea party. Although the mystery isn’t very strong, the characters make this book worth reading.
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And that’s my chain for August! My links have included: Map making, the word Harvest, Hilton hotels, Josephine Tey, the word Time and kettles.
In September we’ll be starting with either our book group’s current selection or the book that we’re currently reading. As I’m not in a book group, for me it will have to be a current read!
She Reads Novels 
Very clever links from Hilton to hotels and Nicola Upson to Josephine Tey – hugely enjoyable as always!
Thanks! I haven’t actually read any of Upson’s Josephine Tey books but it made a good link.
I like the sound of Jim Crace’s Harvest. And you’re not alone in not really liking Hamnet!
I thought Harvest was a fascinating book, particularly as the setting was so vague and left a lot for the reader to interpret. I’m pleased it’s not just me who didn’t really like Hamnet!
The vagueness is what appeals. I quite like making my own mind up if I feel like the author knows and isn’t fudging it, if that makes sense!
Lovely chain, Helen. I loved Old God’s Time.
I’m glad you loved Old God’s Time as well – Sebastian Barry always writes so beautifully.
Great chain. I particularly like your link between books 2&3!
I’m glad you liked that one!
Great list Helen. I really enjoyed Land although it’s not perfect but what is. I loved Old God’s Time too. Sebastian Barry is such a genius.
I’m glad you enjoyed Land. I think I’ll probably try it. And yes, Sebastian Barry is wonderful! I’m looking forward to his new book coming in September.
Me too.
Fun links. I added The Christmas Clue to my TBR for reading during that festive time of year.
I read it last Christmas and found it very entertaining.
love the kettle link and Tea on Sunday is the only one I’ve read! both the harvest books sound good but I think I would find it difficult not knowing where or when the first one is placed, The Christmas Clue sounds very fun!
I enjoyed Harvest, but it was definitely frustrating not knowing when and where it was set – although that’s also what made it interesting. And yes, The Christmas Clue was fun!
A fascinating chain! I’ve read three of them – The Christmas Clue, as you say is enjoyable, and The Daughter of Time and Old God’s Time, both of which I loved. I like the sound of the other books.
I’m glad you loved The Daughter of Time and Old God’s Time too. I’m looking forward to Sebastian Barry’s new book which is out in September. I can definitely recommend all of the other books in my chain as well!
I wasn’t as keen on Hamnet either as a lot of other people but I loved Land.
That’s good to know. I’m prepared to give her another chance!
Land is wonderful, and you may like it, although I preferred her Hamnet, so you never know. Give it a try and see. You can always DNF! Lovely chain here.
I’m usually happy to give an author more than one chance, so I probably will try Land and see what I think!
I love the way you used Hilton and made it a link to a hotel book! Daughter of Time is an excellent book. I’m a librarian and I love that, for once, the research was realistic.
I’m glad you like the Hilton link! Yes, Daughter of Time is a great book.
A lovely chain from which I’ve only not read the Hilton and the Cooper. The Hilton looks well worth adding to the TBR.
The Hilton is an excellent book and has a lot to say about war and loss.
Noted. Thanks.
A really nice chain you got here! The Christmas Clue sounds like a fun one to pick up!
Thanks! Yes, The Christmas Clue was very entertaining.
Great chain!
The Daughter of Time is so good. I didn’t know Tey herself was in novels!
I haven’t read the books with Tey in them but they seem popular.
I really liked Daughter of Time. I did find it interesting to find how hospital care had changed. The main character was in hospital for weeks with his broken leg and if I remember correctly was puffing away on cigarettes in the nove! Wouldn’t happen now! lol
Fun chain!
I’m glad you liked The Daughter of Time as well – I thought it was a fascinating book! And no, that definitely wouldn’t be allowed now!
Great chain Helen. I loved Daughter of time when I read, despite not really being an historical fiction reader. And, I have been keen to read Harvest by Jim Crace. His novel Being dead is one of those rare books (besides Jane Austen’s novels) that I’ve read more than once. I have always felt that Harvest would appeal to me in a similar way – for what I believe is its tone and style.
I haven’t read Being Dead, but it’s good to know that you liked it enough to read it more than once. I used to re-read favourite books a lot, but not very often these days. Harvest is fascinating – I hope you’re able to read it at some point.
No I don’t much either but it is such a worthwhile thing to do, isn’t it?
A fun chain, Helen–and I’m very pleased to see Random Harvest in it–I loved the surprise at the end too, and still wonder how they’d translate that into the film–there is one with Greer Garson I know but can’t remember if I ever saw it.
I still haven’t read Daughter of Time despite having enjoyed other Alan Grant books–must remedy that soon!
I haven’t seen the Greer Garson film either, but from what I’ve heard it’s structured differently and the twist is obvious much earlier. I’m pleased I read the book first.
Daughter of Time is a fascinating book – I hope you’re able to read it soon!