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Helm Wind: Centuries of Chaos and Poetry
30 Jul
Summary
- The novel narrates stories from the perspective of the northeasterly wind, Helm.
- Characters span from a Neolithic seer to a modern climatologist.
- Actor Louise Brealey masterfully narrates the audiobook version.
Sarah Hall's novel, "Helm," offers a unique narrative perspective, channeling the voice of the powerful northeasterly wind. This ambitious work, twenty years in the making, recounts stories of the wind's impact across different eras.
The novel features a diverse cast of characters, each touched by Helm's influence. These include NaNay, a Neolithic seer building a stone circle, and a Victorian meteorologist braving the Pennines. A modern climatologist measuring atmospheric microplastics also appears.
These individuals, separated by centuries, are bound together by the shared experience of weather. The audiobook, narrated by Louise Brealey, is praised for its ability to capture the novel's poetic and playful elements.
Hall vividly describes Helm as a slippery, shapeshifting phenomenon, comparing it to a high-flying skater performing repeated somersaults. The book explores vast themes with lyrical prose and dynamic stylistic shifts.
