Stone's Fall [Deckle Edge] [Hardcover]

Stone's Fall by Iain Pears No spoilers, I promise. This one is way too enjoyable to spoil.

What a ride this book was. Thoroughly engaging; just when I was sure I knew where we were going, it changed direction, which I love.

The story is written in three parts, each in a different time and setting and from a different viewpoint. I don't like to know too much about the plot before I read a book and if you are of a similar viewpoint, I'd suggest you don't read too many details in reviews. Part of the fun of Stone's Fall is how things unroll and run away, dragging you along peeking through the curtains. The settings are 1909 London, 1890 Paris, and 1867 Venice, with characters so interconnected that you won't know who or how until the very last page. Delicious.

The second part stunned me for its prescience about our current financial crises, and though it is set in 1890 or so, it helped me understand how interconnected and easily manipulated global financial markets can be. Sound dry? Not at all! It's a well-paced, well-plotted, and peopled with fascinating characters, as is the rest of the book.

I read Instance of the Fingerpost and liked it a lot, but this one may be even better. Pears has a way of making the reader feel included somehow, without any fancy dancing or gimmicks. Even though the story winds through a full 800 pages, almost none of them are wasted, and that is a true feat. Just when I thought the book might get bogged down in part 3, Pears introduced Venice c. 1867 and treated it as a character with facets I hadn't read about before; disturbing and haunting.

Stone's Fall has a bit for everyone: mystery, lovers, history, financial markets, the stories behind the news of the day, emotions, madness, and the desperate acts of people under all kinds of pressure. You'll really want to read this one and be glad you did I think. One of the best of the year for me, and I'm not a pushover.

Iain Pears' novel Stone's Fall is incredibly complex. It is told from the perspective of three narrators, during three time periods, and in three separate settings. It also travels backwards through time. Pears' pieced together a historical mystery that simply broaches espionage, international finance, and military arms production. And this novel also has the heft of a decent sized phone book. Such an ambitious undertaking in the hands of a lesser author could have easily been confusing or tedious, but Stone's Fall is a masterwork of literary achievement.

The mysteries of the story are artfully unfolded in an intricate plotline. The story opens in London in 1953 where a retired reporter, Matthew Braddock recalls London in 1909 during the time he was hired to investigate the whereabouts of an heir to John Stone, a major player in international finance and military arms production. The more he probes into the life of John Stone the more questions he has. The next segment of the book opens in Paris 1890, and told by the up and coming British spy Henry Cort. Through Henry we get more insight into the life of John Stone, as we learn of the rise of his wife and the power he commanded in global finance. Finally we are treated to the perspective of Mr. Stone in Venice 1867, as we discover the origins of his business and finally all the loose ends are tied together to the delight of the reader.

The characters are slowly rendered, layer by layer, choice by choice. They come and go in each time period revealing more about themselves and the relationships they share with each other. Pears' constantly reinvents his subjects, so that their motivations only become clear after all sides of the story are told. By the end, we are left with wholly flawed but intensely vibrant people.

Stone's Fall is easily one of my favorite books of the year. Pears' gives us a novel that thrills a patient reader--it pays off better than expected. Be resigned to devote your entire weekend to devouring this book. However if you enjoy a big thick novel, I couldn't recommend a better choice.

Iain Pears's "Stone's Fall" opens in France in 1953 with the burial of Madame Robillard, who passed away in her eighties. The first part of the book is narrated by Matthew Braddock who had met Robillard (then known as Elizabeth, Lady Ravenscliff) when she was in her forties. The year was 1909, and twenty-five year old Matthew was a crime reporter for a London newspaper. Elizabeth summons Matthew a fortnight after the death of her husband, John Stone, Lord Ravenscliff, who died after he fell or was pushed out of an open window in his study. She offers Matthew a great deal of money to look into her husband's professional and personal affairs. There are a number of questions that she wants answered: Was Stone's death accidental or a result of foul play? Why did he leave a huge bequest to a child, whom, he states in his will, "I have never previously acknowledged?" Why did Stone grant a legacy to Mrs. Esther Vincotti of Italy? After examining her husband's papers carefully, Elizabeth finds nothing to shed light on these matters. She tells Matthew that, even after twenty years of marriage, she and her husband were very much in love and that he had not been in the habit of keeping secrets from her. That is why she is willing to pay Matthew handsomely to dig deeper and give her the information that she craves for her peace of mind.

Thus begins a lengthy narrative that moves backwards in time. Pears takes us to London in 1909, Paris in 1890, and finally, to Venice in 1867. Part Two is narrated by Henry Cort, a shadowy figure who crossed paths with John Stone and Elizabeth and knows a great many of their secrets. Part Three is narrated by Stone himself. The first part is not that compelling and some will be tempted to put the book down after the first hundred pages. Initially, it is difficult to care about the deceased and his wife, about whom we know little, or about Matthew, who barely makes a living as a journalist. Matthew eagerly accepts Elizabeth's generous stipend, hoping to improve his lowly financial position. However, when he starts investigating and finds anomalies in Stone's business dealings, his curiosity gets the better of him. What he learns shocks and alarms him, and his continued involvement in the Stone case will put him in grave danger.

Pears takes a huge gamble, expecting the reader to keep track of dozens of characters, some of whom are not what they seem to be, and an incredibly convoluted plot. The author assumes that readers will be willing to stick with a narrative that moves in many different directions, and that hinges, to a large extent, on arcane details of banking and politics; not everyone will find this subject matter particularly compelling or comprehensible. Does Pears's gamble pay off? Yes and no. Until part three, "Stone's Fall" is a tough slog. There is a great deal going on but, for quite some time, the point of it all is elusive. It is only in the third section of the book that the tale at last comes to brilliant life. We get to know Stone intimately, discover how he becomes a captain of industry, and watch him commit grievous errors for which he will pay dearly. At last, this cipher becomes human and the final pages are riveting. Many hitherto undisclosed facts are revealed, finally enabling us to make sense of what has occurred in the previous sections. The ending of "Stone's Fall," although not completely believable, is deeply poignant. Pears explores a number of themes: Men who are familiar with the intricacies of making money and the inner workings of government wield enormous power (a timely topic in our troubled times). Without love, wealth and social status provide scant satisfaction. A person is revered after his death not for his power and influence, but for his good works, compassion, and personal honor. Although determined readers will diligently plow through this dense novel, "Stone's Fall" will, alas, bring less hardy souls to their knees long before they reach the final page. Still, the magnificent part three almost makes the whole task worthwhile.

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