Farthing

Small Change, Book 1

By: Jo Walton

Narrated by: John Keating, Bianca Amato

Length: 9 hrs and 46 mins

Publisher's summary

One summer weekend in 1949 - but not our 1949 - the well-connected "Farthing set", a group of upper-crust English families, enjoy a country retreat. Lucy is a minor daughter in one of those families; her parents were both leading figures in the group that overthrew Churchill and negotiated peace with Herr Hitler eight years before. Despite her parents' evident disapproval, Lucy is married - happily - to a London Jew. It was therefore quite a surprise to Lucy when she and her husband, David, found themselves invited to the retreat. It's even more startling when, on the retreat's first night, a major politician of the Farthing set is found gruesomely murdered, with abundant signs that the killing was ritualistic.

It quickly becomes clear to Lucy that she and David were brought to the retreat in order to pin the murder on him. Major political machinations are at stake, including an initiative in Parliament, supported by the Farthing set, to limit the right to vote to university graduates. But whoever's behind the murder, and the frame-up, didn't reckon on the principal investigator from Scotland Yard being a man with very private reasons for sympathizing with outcasts and looking beyond the obvious. As the trap slowly shuts on Lucy and David, they begin to see a way out - a way fraught with peril in a darkening world.

What if: listen to more in the Small Change trilogy.

©2006 Jo Walton (P)2011 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

"If Le Carré scares you, try Jo Walton. Of course her brilliant story of a democracy selling itself out to fascism sixty years ago is just a mystery, just a thriller, just a fantasy--of course we know nothing like that could happen now. Don't we?" (Ursula K. Le Guin)

"Walton crosses genres without missing a beat with this stunningly powerful alternative history…. while the whodunit plot is compelling, it's the convincing portrait of a country's incremental slide into fascism that makes this novel a standout. Mainstream readers should be enthralled as well." ( Publishers Weekly)

It Couldn't Happen Here, Right? RIGHT?

I wasn't sure about this book, not being a real fantasy fan, but it did have a mystery in it, and it was on sale. So I bought it, and am I glad I did! Jo Walton has crafted a mystery set in England in an alternate history, where a group called the "Farthing Set" deposed Churchill and negotiated a "peace with honor" with Hitler in 1941, in which Hitler stayed on the other side of the Channel and England remained "independent" by agreeing to measures which amount to a milder form of suppression of Jews and homosexuals than that in place in continental Europe.

The action takes place in 1948, when a vote of no confidence is scheduled in Parliament. At a house party at Farthing, the estate of some members of the Farthing Set, the man who is likely to be elected the next Prime Minister is murdered. Lucy, the daughter of Farthing's owners, and her husband David Kahn, a Jew, have come to the party at the insistence of Lucy's mother. It's not clear why they are invited until it becomes obvious that they were wanted there in order to pin the murder on David, the JEW.

The mystery story is quite good, but the real point of the book is the picture of an England which is sliding slowly and inexorably into Facsism through the machinations of the power elite (the Farthing Set) and the willingness of the public to believe the lies of the ruling politicians. Through the course of this book and the second book in this series, the suppression of Jews and homosexuals becomes more extreme, and many have been forced to flee or hide. And people in positions like police detectives are coerced into blaming the crimes of the powerful on the people with no power. Meanwhile, of course, Hitler is still Fuhrer of all of Europe, undesirables are still sent to work camps, and the war is still raging between Germany and Russia.

The story is greatly enhanced by the two narrators, John Keating and Bianca Amato. The book is written in chapters which alternate between the narration of Lucy Kahn and the third party narration of the investigation conducted by Inspector Carmichael of Scotland Yard, making the alternating narrators particularly appropriate. Both do a sterling job.

This is really a gripping tale, very complex and disquieting but definitely worth the money and the time to listen to it. Excellent!

Are you enjoying "Man in the High Castle"?

Oh this is so good! Its subtler than the PK Dick classic. But Jo Walton is arguably a better story teller. Anything I can say about the story itself is a spoiler. The characters are beautifully drawn in a world which is brilliantly developed. The narration is flawless. I consumed this is a weekend and never wanted to stop listening.

Very Good, but...

A very interesting world in which the U.S. didn't enter the Second War and Great Britain fought alone to a negotiated peace with Nazi Germany. The thing is, the alternative history side of this doesn't really make a difference to the murder-mystery plot: It's just atmosphere. Such a shame to create a fascinating world that is simply scenery. There is also a dual narrator structure that affords the reader two views of the events and gives us two protagonists. But it seemed a little frivolous and unnecessary.

Intrigue

It held my interest. I didn't want it to end.
one two three four five.

So sad.

Human beings are horrible.
Excellent that it doesn’t have a happy ending and portrays antisemitism as it is. It’s unfair self.

Chilling

But for the male narrator I would've given this five stars. Original storyline, chilling and thought-provoking. I loved it.

Excelent!

Had to keep myself awake to finish it. Have to read the following books in the series.

Wonderful and timely.

The story flew by. Terrifically written and powerfully performed! 100% complete; glad its a series.

Exciting, and very well read.

Enjoyed the book, the theme was just great, for everyone love a police story! I highly recommend this book. The person's reading it brought it to life. Must read the next one!

Enjoyable mystery with a hint of alternate history

If you could sum up Farthing in three words, what would they be?

Solid, thoughtful, enjoyable.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Farthing?

On the surface, this is a murder mystery. But the alternate history setting provides an opportunity to explore how fragile humans are, and how willing to give in to prejudice.

Which scene was your favorite?

No particular scene stood out. The story was consistent throughout with neither high nor low points.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No. It took a couple of weeks.

Any additional comments?

This is an enjoyable novel. I like the premise (what is the long term impact of small changes in our decisions). The story is theoretically about solving a murder. However, it's true purpose seems to be shining a light on people's relationships to power, privilege and fear.I felt the novel could have pushed harder. Everyone felt so civilized and polite in a world that is clearly rife with prejudice and persecution. The character of David seemed out of place (at least, I felt that this character could have been less 'stiff upper lip', given the passions he held and activities that he was clearly involved in).If nothing else, this novel is a good stepping on point for the very start of conversations about tolerance, diversity and equality. It will, by no means, give you a clear moral compass of this aspect of human nature, but it might just nudge you to begin a personal exploration in that direction.