The Confusion
Volume Two of the Baroque Cycle
Neal Stephenson
Random House
Trade paperback, 815 pages, R205
Reviewed by Al du Pisani, 13 January 2005
This volume consists of two interwoven narratives, Bonanza and
Juncto, that take place from 1689 to 1702.
Bonanza is mostly the story of Jack Shaftoe, miraculously cured from
his insanity, and probably his syphilis, and the nine people chained to his
oar and the next one. Life as a galley slave is not pleasant, but Moseh de la
Cruz have a Plan, and Jack's return to sanity have come at exactly
the right time for him to execute and lead it.
They plan to steal some silver that they are expecting a returning Viceroy
from South America to smuggle home. And the plan works perfectly. Until
they find than he did not smuggle silver back, but gold. And there are a bunch
of people that are very interested in finding and recovering the gold on
their trail.
And so a long journey starts, with much ups and downs in the fortunes of
the ten. And every now and then they loose one of the partners. But, as time
goes by, they manage to acquire more partners to replace the lost ones. In a
trip around the world, with visits to exotic Egypt, India, Japan and Peru,
among other places.
Juncto is mostly the story of Eliza, with occasional appearances by
Daniel Waterhouse, still trying to move to America. Eliza have lost a
fortune to the dashing privateer Jean Bart, and have not managed to escape
France for England. But Leroy is willing to cut her a deal: Work for him,
and he will both ennoble her and let her live.
What can a young single mother do, but comply. And try and steal back her
money. And marry well. And have affairs with people that can give her better
children than her husband can. And carry on her secret correspondence with
some of the most prominent scientists of the era.
But not all is as simple as it seems.
This time round, we get to see more exotic locations, more strange people
with even stranger beliefs, and even more enigmatic encounters. And
learn one more fact about the enigmatic Enoch Root, hidden away in a throw
away sentence between Eliza and the kidnapper of her first son.
Where we are learning more about what motivated the scientists of the day,
and their great Quest for knowledge. (I have been informed the 90 percent of
Newton's works are not read these days, as they are his speculations on
religion and alchemy. But the remaining 10 percent made his reputation.)
And where you are even more surprised than in the first book that people
actually manage to survive the plagues, diseases and accidents what cross
their paths, much less thrive. Even if it is at a steep price.
And you are slowly getting the idea that the author is going into a place
at a 90 degree angle to what you are expecting. But the journey is most of the
fun.
This is even better that the previous book in the series, and end with even
more of a cliffhanger.
Read it.
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