The Bridge by Janine Ellen Young
The Bridge is based on an intriguing concept: extra-terrestrial contact gone wrong.
The story starts with an alien race deciding to try and contact other planets. They send out a huge number of automated "pods" all designed to communicate with any sentient life they might encounter. Eventually one of these reaches Earth.
Image: The Bridge
Synopsis
A short summary
Unfortunately the aliens' method of communication is organic and involves synthesising viral messengers. The effects of this on humanity are drastic and the resulting plague wipes out most of the population. Those who survive the pandemic are changed; they have absorbed to a greater or lesser degree the aliens' message. They have residual knowledge of the alien society and the first clues as to how they can be contacted:
The Bridge.
Human society slowly recovers with those who were infected leading efforts to build The Bridge and reach the alien world. This is the story of the novel, told across several generations and several families. The book is set mainly in Manhattan and the Brooklyn Bridge itself is a recurring motif, both literally and symbolically. Much attention is also given to India, its religion and philosophy.
The Bridge.
Human society slowly recovers with those who were infected leading efforts to build The Bridge and reach the alien world. This is the story of the novel, told across several generations and several families. The book is set mainly in Manhattan and the Brooklyn Bridge itself is a recurring motif, both literally and symbolically. Much attention is also given to India, its religion and philosophy.
Analysis
Young has created a fascinating alien race, creatures that are truly different not just physically but in just about every conceivable aspect. Truly alien and memorable. No humanoids with rubber masks here!
Despite that, this novel is fundamentally a human story. There's very little hard science. It's all about the characters and how the changed and changing world affects them. It's about how human society copes with and is moulded by such extreme events.
In many ways The Bridge is a traditional post-apocalypse story, but much more positive than most. The overall tone is perhaps a little too hopeful and uplifting for my taste, however it's offset by some satisfyingly dark moments.
By about half way through the novel it becomes clear that we're not going to spend a lot of time on the actual alien contact. However it's not totally thrown away, there's a nice dramatic question running through the final couple of chapters, a choice to be made. I'm not sure the result is totally in character, however I'm willing to accept it.
Despite that, this novel is fundamentally a human story. There's very little hard science. It's all about the characters and how the changed and changing world affects them. It's about how human society copes with and is moulded by such extreme events.
In many ways The Bridge is a traditional post-apocalypse story, but much more positive than most. The overall tone is perhaps a little too hopeful and uplifting for my taste, however it's offset by some satisfyingly dark moments.
By about half way through the novel it becomes clear that we're not going to spend a lot of time on the actual alien contact. However it's not totally thrown away, there's a nice dramatic question running through the final couple of chapters, a choice to be made. I'm not sure the result is totally in character, however I'm willing to accept it.
Conclusion
Whilst applauding the excellent human characterisation, I would have liked to see a little more of the aliens. They're just so well done it seems a shame to under-use them. I would also have liked a little more analysis of what happens in the generations after the current end of the novel. The balance between satisfying the readers and leaving them thinking is a difficult one.
If you like your science fiction thoughtful and well-characterised, you'll enjoy The Bridge. An impressive debut.
If you like your science fiction thoughtful and well-characterised, you'll enjoy The Bridge. An impressive debut.
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