Farthing

Small Change, Book 1

By: Jo Walton

Narrated by: John Keating, Bianca Amato

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)

bad ending

The ending sneaks up on you and then one is left disappointed. Performance was good though.

English Country House Murder

Jo Walton must have had this alternate timeline series in mind when she wrote 'Farthing', which is ultimately a rather hackneyed English countryhouse murder mystery. The familiarity of the plot does indeed allow Walton to establish her alternate 1949 British history and new society as Nazi Allies for readers.

This new society is fascinating, beautifully crafted and explained. It is a Britain filled with intrigue, dissidence, fear and acquiescence in which the Aristocracy did actually manage to give their country to Hitler in order to maintain their birthright.

The story is not as well crafted. Several passages are almost lectures outlining Farthing's new society and at those times, the story seems a tedious vehicle for the alternate history.

I gave Farthing 4 stars because now, several days after finishing the book, I recall passages or points made and find myself seeing new facets to this alternate world I hadn't noticed while listening. That doesn't happen with many books. It is only today that I look forward to the next novel of the series, Ha'Penny.
Farthing kinda crept up on me.

I'm going to have to read the next 2!

I didn't realize it was part of a trilogy, but I loved it so I need to listen to the next two.

unexpected all the way

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

engrossing, surprising

What did you like best about this story?

as soon as you think you figure out the story and where it is going, it takes a stunning turn.

Which scene was your favorite?

the last scene left me with: what!

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

so you think you know what's coming, think again

A gripping mystery in an alternative universe.

I really enjoyed this book and found it easy to finish. The alternative history found throughout would not be as interesting to those not familiar with WW1 and WW2.

I would say this book is an interesting piece of speculative historical fiction.