Question 7

Exploring the interconnectedness of personal and historical narratives, the story weaves through H.G. Wells and Rebecca West's affair, 1930s nuclear physics, and the impact of Hiroshima on Flanagan's father, a slave laborer. As Flanagan confronts a life-or-death situation while trapped in a river, the narrative unfolds as a tribute to his island home and family. This hypnotic blend of dreams, history, and memory illustrates how our identities are shaped by the tales of others and the ones we create for ourselves.