"…a small, calm voice of reason in a nonsensical world."

3 thoughts on “"…a small, calm voice of reason in a nonsensical world."”

• This is a fascinating video.
  I’m sure that setting the story in the future is crucial to the book’s success since – just as Jane argues we can’t help looking at suicide bombers from a political stance – I suspect our view of Iphegenia in Aulis is tainted by our response to mythology; in short, since we don’t believe in ‘the gods’, we find it difficult to empathise with either the parents or the daughter.
  But in Jessie’s Testament we feel a genuine dilemma as to which ‘party’ is taking the mature stance; and indeed how to describe the other stance. In either direction the ‘other’ stance is not self evidently irrational or immature: perhaps we see the other view as wilful – or even tragic (which brings us back to Euripides!).

  Reply

• As Andrew says, a fascinating interview. I was particularly interested in the discussion about finding a voice for Jesse, and how Jane found that voice. I think that struggle of finding your way imaginatively into the mind of your subject applies equally to other art forms.

  Reply

• Great interview. Very convincing and motivating. I’m off to buy my copy. Good luck to Jane with the Booker Prize and book sale.

  Reply