‘In Ascension’ is a hauntingly nuanced and astonishingly dazzling novel that catapults you from the depths of the ocean to the vastness of space, and plays out in parts as an extraordinarily riveting and nail biting eco-thriller only to surprise us all as it magically transfigures into a sci-fi epic for the ages.
Oh boy. What a book.
Long listed for this year’s Booker Prize, this intimate, ambitious, and sprawling work of fiction continuously evolves, morphs and coalesces into a living breathing entity unto itself, Martin MacInnes’ ‘In Ascension’ is nothing short of being a literary masterpiece.
Everything is connected. Inextricably so. It is the nature of things.
“Galaxy’ comes from the Ancient Greek for milk. People looked at the density of stars and saw birth, maternal sustenance scattered across the sky.”
Forged to take the reader on a thrilling and mind bending escapade – with discovery being a potent & provocative literary device – this slow burn novel soon transforms into a shining light.
However, for a book that revels in its ability to invoke a sense of awe and wonder, I was slightly taken aback by the rather long and unnecessary blurb. I urge you to skip past any mention of it and head to the first chapter.
But here’s a spoiler free variant. Thank me later.
An exploration of familial tensions, trauma, abuse & existence through the lens of a Dutch marine biologist – who traverses the world to pursue her passion all the while ostensibly stumbling upon the building blocks of life.
“It’s a mistake to think of our origins, of all life’s origins, as belonging only to the past. It’s still there.”
Apart from cementing his position as a gifted storyteller, MacInnes is extremely adept at world building – deeply layered and richly atmospheric – juxtaposed with narratives that depict and investigate the human condition as well as the relationships that bind us together.
Clocking in at around 500 pages – do not let that deter you – I found the experience to be exhilarating as I blazed through with an alacrity unlike any other – a testament to the author’s breathtakingly beautiful and impressively lyrical writing style.
“I imagined a life of this, in close contact, as I saw it, with the stuff of the world”.
‘In Ascension’ is a hauntingly nuanced and astonishingly dazzling novel that catapults you from the depths of the ocean to the vastness of space, and plays out in parts as an extraordinarily riveting and nail biting eco-thriller only to surprise us all as it magically transfigures into a sci-fi epic for the ages.
There aren’t many books that leave a lasting impression and compel you to start reading them all over again once you turn the final page. This right here, has got what it takes.
Oh boy. What a book.
What are you waiting for. Buy it now!
P.S. A big shout out to Willow – over at Books & Boa – for urging viewers to dive headfirst into the marvellous depths of MacInnes’ genius.
Additional Resources
Good Reads | In Ascension by Martin MacInnes
Martin MacInnes discusses In Ascension and three books that have “shaped his writing.”