Hexwood

Written by Diana Wynne Jones, who brought us Howl’s Moving Castle, comes a confusing, but nonetheless entertaining science fiction fantasy that’s positively riddled with changes in time, retellings and revisits of events, and a strange fusion of genres and intertextuality. I’m still not sure whether or not I really liked it, but I will admit that I found it easy to read and quite enjoyable. I could very well see this made into an anime movie! 

When Controller Borasus receives a strange letter from Earth, he suspects and sincerely hopes that it’s a hoax. Apparently, someone has switched on an ancient machine called the Bannus for the most trivial of purposes and time and reality is being dangerously warped as a result. Fearfully he goes to Earth to investigate, aware that he might not come back… On Hexwood Farm Estate, Ann watches the mysterious comings and goings and general happenings of Hexwood with fascination. The Wood is magical and mysterious and whenever she enters it, she can’t tell if she’ll end up in the same place or time as she did before. All the while she knows, she feels, that something bigger and deadly is happening, or could that be the Wood altering her too? 

I’m still scratching my head about what actually went on in this book! It begins as a science fiction mystery and then develops a bit of a political and revenge plot and then takes a dive into the realm of fantasy and Arthurian legends! And all the while the characters are not who you think they are; indeed they aren’t even who they think they are! 

My hesitancy towards this book really does stem from Jones’ writing abilities. Her writing style is nothing to rave about to be honest; it’s really simple, lacks a fair bit in establishing a strong sense of place and atmosphere, and regardless of how interesting the story is (like here) I can’t bring myself to really lose myself in the book. Although a great story, there is nothing in this book that is really compelling and I did find that with Howl’s Moving Castle as well. 

Having said all this, I do have to give her snaps for her courageous time travel attempts! The book jumps from time frame to various time frame and oftentimes you find yourself reading about the same event that happened several chapters ago. The constant shifts in character points of view and focalisation definitely works in establishing the book’s characters, but it does take some getting used to and oftentimes there is still a great level of ambiguity that still floats about in the air. 

Filled with action, adventure, magic, romance, drama, and science fiction, Hexwood is a definitely intriguing book, but it’s a book that I could only find myself reading and not really getting immersed in. I feel that more strong and descriptive language would give the world, the characters, indeed everything that desired bit of clout that escalates a book from good to great. Regardless, the story is refreshingly original and the fusion of genres works surprisingly well…when you finally get a grasp on what’s going down.