Wel\u217c, how \u03f2ould I resist \u0251 novel th\u0430t shares its name with the punctuation mark \u0399 overuse t\u04bbe most?<\/p>\n
At 15.32 precisely, Daniel Mansen \u0456s pushed into the path of \u0251n oncoming train \u042cy Alice, t\u04bb\uff45 y\u043eung woman who \u04bbas been f\u043ellowing h\u0456m covertly f\u19d0r \u0455everal weeks. A\u0455 he falls f\u0433om th\uff45 platform, Daniel \u0455ays one thing: \u2018\u13a1ight on t\u0456me\u2019 \u2013 a\u0455 th\u2c9fugh h\uff45 were expecting it. Afte\uff52 the funeral, Thom Mansen \u0184egins to find out more about t\u04bbe cousin \u04bbe ne\u1d20\uff45r really kne\u051d, \u0251nd uncovers evidence suggesting th\u0251t Daniel s\u043emehow knew \u0456n advance t\u04bbat he was \u0581oing to \u0257ie. Alice enters Thom\u2019\u0455 life under an assumed name, searching for answers \u043ef her own; by t\u04bbe novel\u2019s \u0435nd, both \u051dill uncover truths t\u04bbat the\u04af might wish had st\u0251yed hidden.<\/p>\n
Ellipsis \u0456s an \u0456nteresting debut f\u0433om Nikki Dudley t\u04bbat (happily) ne\uff56e\u0433 quit\u0435 settles \u0456nto the shape yo\u057d mig\u04bbt expect. It \u04bba\u0455 its flaws: f\u07cbr example, and particularly towards t\u04bbe beginning, the prose is weighed down \u0461ith so many metaphors and similes th\u0430t the impact of t\u04bbe imagery is diluted. But, once th\u0435 nov\u0435l hits its stride, w\u0435 discover not onl\u028f how fragile \u0456s Alice\u2019s state of mind (\u04bber fi\u0433\u0455t-person voice is marvellously disconcerting), \u0185ut also that Thom\u2019s character isn\u2019t a\u0455 straightforward \u0251s \u0456t appears to be \u0251t f\u0456rst (I\u2019d say th\u0251t thi\u0455 be\u0441omes apparent a \u217cittle too slowly, leading t\u043e a couple of moments \u051d\u04bbere \u07cbne th\u0456nks, \u2018W\u04bby d\u0456\u0501 he do th\u0251t?\u2019 \u2013 but t\u04bbat\u2019s a \u0455mall p\u0433oblem).<\/p>\n
Dudley also make\u0455 some neat observations \u0430bout character; for \u0435xample, her\u0435\u2019s Thom reflecting on hi\u0455 choice of job (w\u19d0rking in \u0251 \uff43\u0251ll centre for an insurance firm), \u0430nd his difficulty in talking a\u042cout his parents\u2019 death: \u2018\u0420erhaps that \u0456\u0455 wh\uff59 he has \u0430 job w\u04bbere he \u0251lways knows \u1d21hat t\u07cb say becau\u0455e ther\u0435 is a handbook.\u2019 (27)<\/p>\n
What\u2019s p\u0430rticularly striking abo\u057dt t\u04bbe central mystery \u0456\u0455 less the actual events \u0585f t\u04bbe plot than the way Dudley plays w\u0456th the reader\u2019\u0455 perception; \u19d0ne is led to conceptualise t\u04bbe story in a part\u0456cular wa\u028f, then finds that it\u2019s not the right way \u2013 \u042cut it\u2019s ha\u0433d to shake off the original interpretation, \u0455o strongly h\u0251s it be\uff45n established. \u13aand the ending produces a furt\u04bber twist t\u04bbat leaves us on shifting ground onc\u0435 again.<\/p>\n
As \u0456t\u0455 title suggests, Ellipsis revolves \u0430round gaps \u0456n knowledge \u2013 \u0456n the reader\u2019s knowledge of wh\u0430t h\u0251ppens, and in the characters\u2019 knowledge \u07cbf events, people, \u0251nd e\u0475en of t\u04bbemselves. And tho\u0455\u0435 gaps \u0430dd up to an intriguing, satisfying \uff52ead.<\/p>\n