Review of T.C. Boyle’s book “When the Killing’s Done”
Wednesday, November 30th, 2011 5:37:01 by Irfan Khokhar
Review of T.C. Boyle’s book “When the Killing’s Done”
T.C. Boyle is an American novelist and storyteller, who has published 12 novels and almost 100 short stories since mid 70s.
He is known to be an effective storyteller and has the talent to take characters and events from past and bring them to life with sense of immediate import.
Water Music, The Road to Wellville and The Women are some of his well-liked books. The Arthur revealed his latest piece of writing “When the Killing’s Done”, earlier this year. The book has strong story line and captivates
the reader in its spell.
Most essentially, the book embarks on historical flashbacks but it also treats the modern issue that how humans attempts to take control over the natural environment. It also discusses the intended
or unintended consequences of those attempts. The main storyline tells that Boyd Takesue is a biologist at the
National Park Service and she is charged with the removal of invasive species such as rats and untamed pigs. She is actually accused of endangering the native species.
However, Boyd had the support of government in running the project of killing invaders. The real tension rises when another group of militant animal rights activists come into stride with the lady.
The other group is led by Dave LaJoy, who is an obsessively overbearing business man with time on his hands. He openly objects to the killing off of any animals for any reason. The story takes many different turns at this points as Takesue tries to implement
her plans, while LaJoy attempts to thwart her.
Here it becomes the page-turning reading and different questions start roaming about reader’s head.
Is the life of one species more valuable than the life of another?
Are the foxes more valuable than the feral pigs?
Moreover, who has the right to make that decision?
Are human beings empowered to decide in terms of their pragmatic interests?
Are humans responsible for destroying the animal species?
These questions are the real essence of this story and central to writer’s point of view. Boyle has supplied easy answers for all these questions but he has also left a few things for readers to figure
themselves. All in all, the book gives one message that humans should not mess with Mother Nature.
Review of T.C. Boyle’s book “When the Killing’s Done”
T.C. Boyle is an American novelist and storyteller, who has published 12 novels and almost 100 short stories since mid 70s.
He is known to be an effective storyteller and has the talent to take characters and events from past and bring them to life with sense of immediate import.
Water Music, The Road to Wellville and The Women are some of his well-liked books. The Arthur revealed his latest piece of writing “When the Killing’s Done”, earlier this year. The book has strong story line and captivates
the reader in its spell.
Most essentially, the book embarks on historical flashbacks but it also treats the modern issue that how humans attempts to take control over the natural environment. It also discusses the intended
or unintended consequences of those attempts. The main storyline tells that Boyd Takesue is a biologist at the
National Park Service and she is charged with the removal of invasive species such as rats and untamed pigs. She is actually accused of endangering the native species.
However, Boyd had the support of government in running the project of killing invaders. The real tension rises when another group of militant animal rights activists come into stride with the lady.
The other group is led by Dave LaJoy, who is an obsessively overbearing business man with time on his hands. He openly objects to the killing off of any animals for any reason. The story takes many different turns at this points as Takesue tries to implement
her plans, while LaJoy attempts to thwart her.
Here it becomes the page-turning reading and different questions start roaming about reader’s head.
Is the life of one species more valuable than the life of another?
Are the foxes more valuable than the feral pigs?
Moreover, who has the right to make that decision?
Are human beings empowered to decide in terms of their pragmatic interests?
Are humans responsible for destroying the animal species?
These questions are the real essence of this story and central to writer’s point of view.
Boyle has supplied easy answers for all these questions but he has also left a few things for readers to figure themselves. All in all, the book gives one message that humans should not mess with Mother
Nature.
Short URL: https://www.newspakistan.pk/?p=5140
Posted by Irfan Khokhar
on Nov 30 2011. Filed under Entertainment.
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