Author Jeffrey Archer always wanted Adam & Eve to be his opus ultimum. Published a day after his death, it now serves as the master storyteller’s swan song in the truest sense.
Spanning from November 11, 1918, to September 15, 1940, the narrative traces England’s turbulent passage from the end of World War I to the Battle of Britain, against an equally tumultuous backdrop of shifting class hierarchies and social changes. On the day that the war to end all wars ends, Lady Evelina (later Eve), the daughter of an Earl, and Adam, the son of the estate’s head shepherd, are born hours apart. They share an estate but inhabit different worlds: Adam enters through the back gate and sits in the kitchen where his mother works; Eve uses the front door and eats in the dining hall, waited on hand and foot as a motherless noble. But these boundaries are unsettled, and their paths collide with the suffragette movement, the unionisation of the working class, and a rapid erosion of aristocratic privilege.
Adam and Eve go from rivals to friends before their relationship deepens into infatuation, love and more. Yet the world around them refuses to leave their golden youth untouched by war and violence. The shepherd’s boy becomes a Trinity scholar, while Lady Evelina finds her calling as a farmhand and, later, an estate manager in training.
{{/usCountry}}Adam and Eve go from rivals to friends before their relationship deepens into infatuation, love and more. Yet the world around them refuses to leave their golden youth untouched by war and violence. The shepherd’s boy becomes a Trinity scholar, while Lady Evelina finds her calling as a farmhand and, later, an estate manager in training.
{{/usCountry}}Archer wastes no time creating this world, and his skill at worldbuilding shines through. No character feels like a caricature or cardboard cut-out, and the narrative moves at lightning speed in the page-turner. Longtime fans of Archer might just find it reminiscent of the author’s 1979 novel Kane and Abel, echoing in the biblical names, contrasting backgrounds, and nostalgic storytelling.
This epic historical fiction finds real figures intersecting with fictional lives. Is there a degree of convenience in how often the protagonists and their families find themselves close to consequential people and events? Yes. A king abdicates the throne; his brother, the father of two daughters, ascends the throne; a dictator invades Poland; and Nazi sympathisers attempt to infiltrate and claw their way through English ranks. Through it all, Adam and Eve’s romance blossoms, until the inevitable call to serve their country arrives. But does that take away from the narrative? No. The text keeps you hooked, filled with twists and intricacies.
At 464 pages, this book is a demanding read, but also a rewarding one. The characters stay with you, and their valour, wit and primness will make you laugh out loud. Several of the scenes will jump out of the page with dry British humour at its finest display. Pick up a copy if you’re a fan of thrillers with heart, soul and quintessentially English storytelling.
Title: Adam & Eve
Author: Jeffrey Archer
Publisher: HarperCollins
Price: ₹599
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