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The Great Fire

shirley hazzard

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The year is 1947. The great fire of the Second World War has convulsed Europe and Asia. In its wake, Aldred leith, an acclaimed hero of the conflict, has spent two years in China at work on an account of world-transforming change there. Son of a famed and sexually ruthless novelist, Leith begins to resist his own self-sufficiency, nutured by the war. Peter Exley, another veteran and an art historian by training, is prosecuting war crimes committed by the Japanese. Both men have narrowly escaped death in battle, and Leith saved Exley's life. The man have maintained long-distance friendship in a postwar loneliness that haunts them both, and which has swallowed Exley whole. now in their thirties, with their youth behind them and their world in ruins, both must invent the future and retrieve a private humanity. Arriving in occupied Japan to record the effects of the bomb at Hiroshima, Leth meets Benedict and Helen Criscoll, the Australian son and daughter of a tyrranical medical administrator. Benedict, at twenty, is doomed by a rare degenerative disease. Helen, still younger, is inseperable from her brother. Precocious, brilliant, sensitive, at home in the books they read together, these two have been, in Leith's words, delivered by literature. The young people capture Leith's sympathy; indeed, he finds himself struggling with his attraction to this girl whose feelings are as intense as his own and from whom he will soon be fatefully parted. A deeply observed story of love and seperation, of disillusion and recovered humanity, The Great Fire marks the much-awaited return of an author whose novel The Transit of Venus won the National Book Critics Circle Award and, twenty years after itspublication, is considered a modern classic.

null pages, Paperback

First published October 14,2003
Literary awards
booker prize, national book award, orange prize, william dean howells medal, miles franklin literary award, kiriyama prize, dublin literary award, 
Places
australia, japan, 

This edition

Format
null pages, Paperback
Published
January 1, 2003 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux
ISBN
9780374703219
ASIN
0374703213
Language
English

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About the author

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shirley hazzard

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Community Reviews

Rating(4 / 5.0, 100 votes)
5 stars
32(32%)
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34(34%)
3 stars
34(34%)
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100 reviews All reviews
Profile Image for Kimberly .
sandrik1
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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I have a friend who comes to the book club and remarks, "Oh, I hated this book." But then, curiously, he proceeds to tell us everything he liked about it. I must be his polar opposite - at least in this particular instance - because I truly liked this book - or at least the story of Leith, Helen, and Ben.

However, I did encounter a problem. The secondary characters seemed to encroach on the narrative constantly, drawing my attention away from the three characters I was most eager to read about. This was especially infuriating in the last third of the novel when Hazzard introduced several characters. She took pages to introduce them, only to have them disappear from the rest of the novel.

I did enjoy Bertram, and I would have liked more of him. Also, after all the time she dedicated to Ben and Peter, I would have appreciated a bit more of their stories from their own points of view. The few paragraphs we were given seemed almost like an afterthought, as if she was thinking, "oh, I almost forgot..."

It's ironic that I say this about Peter because, if I were writing or editing this, I would have cut his character down. She gives us too much of his story, which becomes a distraction, and then fails to follow up. It's a flaw. Yes, I'm afraid this is a 200-page story stretched into a 300-page book.

This is the second book I've read by Hazzard. I love her writing - her use of language and phrasing is truly remarkable. I understand that it may sound as though I didn't like the book, but that's not the case. I did like it very much. I simply would have liked it even more had the narrative been a bit tighter and shorter.
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BluePikmin11
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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I read this for my book group and would not have struggled through it without that incentive.

For a long time, I haven't felt like I was slogging through a narrative so extremely slowly. It took me ages to get through every 10-page increment. You know how your mind sometimes wanders when you read? If I wandered for even a paragraph, I was lost again.

Throughout most of the story, I felt like I had such a tentative hold on it. However, part three (the final section) moved more quickly for me. I wonder if others had the same experience? Perhaps I finally understood the author's writing style, or perhaps it was due to the setting change. The more familiar Britain and New Zealand, as opposed to China and Japan, might have made it easier for me to follow. Maybe the author did that on purpose to keep the readers engaged.

Ultimately, this book was more about the ambience for me. The setting seemed to overshadow every aspect of the characters, and some of the characters were rather underdeveloped.

I'm really looking forward to my group's discussion. I hope someone else has also finished it!
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BVerfG
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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When we're indecisive, yes, the wishes of others gain an upper hand. It's as if our hesitation creates a void that others are quick to fill.

“…I still hear the slurping sound that is a world licking its wounds.” This line is so powerful, painting a vivid picture of a world in the aftermath of something traumatic, trying to heal but still carrying the scars.

3.5 stars. It took me foreverrr to get into this story, but once I did, I was hooked. No one does doomed romance like miss Shirley. There are just too many characters to keep track of, which can be a bit overwhelming at times. However, the post-WWII attitudes all felt so real, as if I was transported back in time. I love how she crafted everyone's inner voice using free indirect discourse like no one else. It really added depth and authenticity to the characters. My main critique is that all these bitches are just too wise. How does everyone always know what's up with everyone else? It seems a bit unrealistic at times. But overall, it's a great read that I would recommend to others.
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NQK002
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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This book was hard work. It required a great deal of effort and dedication to complete.

The author had to conduct extensive research, carefully organize the information, and write in a clear and engaging style.

Editing and proofreading were also crucial steps to ensure the quality of the book.

Despite the challenges, the author persevered and managed to create a valuable piece of work.

The book covers a wide range of topics and provides in-depth analysis and insights.

It is sure to be of interest to a diverse audience, including scholars, students, and general readers.

Whether you are looking to expand your knowledge, gain a new perspective, or simply enjoy a good read, this book is definitely worth checking out.

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Ciu
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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Although I find this book terrible on many levels, I must start by saying that Shirley Hazzard is a good writer. In fact, she is an excellent writer. Looking back on my experience reading the book, I have to admit that I often enjoyed the beautiful phrasing for a long enough time to forget what a terrible book this actually is.


As a side note concerning Ms. Hazzard's language, if any Australians or New Zealanders happen to read this review, please let me know if you actually use the word "Antipodean" to describe yourselves.


That being said, I must state that this book is a pompous and bombastic piece of trash, the kind of trash that book reviewers seem to adore. It's easy to see why. Let's break down the book. The world before the great conflagration of World War Two was a nice place for people like Leith. The world was run by rich, educated, and oh so English people. They had parties where they discussed the humanities and had affairs with others who dressed well and talked about literature. They owned nice houses outside of Hong Kong. When they weren't residing in those houses, they stayed at nice hotels for white people.


Okay, yes, you may (and should) object to my characterization. That is not what the book is about! And I completely agree. My point is that Hazzard, like a Merchant and Ivory film, glamorizes colonialism and the colonial project to such an extent that for her, the picturesque colonial days (happily devoid of any Asians, as you know), come to represent the pinnacle of civilization, and the post-war era, run by Australians and, ugh! Americans, is boorish and depressing.


This beautifully written book creates a fiction that the literate types seem to love. The colonial days were a great time for literate types. In this simplistic sketch, I hope only to point out that Hazzard's vision of colonialism, war, and society does nothing but appeal to the romantic fiction of a world order in which people like her were on top and in charge.

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Veronin
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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There were numerous moments while delving into this book when I truly believed I might be smothered by the overly detailed descriptions of embroidered pillows, rugs, crepe items of every kind, vases, sofas, and so on.

This book essentially resembles a home furnishings store, albeit one filled with lavish everything for the modern colonialist, with a rather feeble thread of a story haphazardly buried within its pages.

Another aspect that nearly left the reader gasping for air (or, at the very least, feeling utterly exhausted) is the author's penchant for providing family lineages and histories that are overloaded with minutiae about side characters who play either a negligible or no role whatsoever in the actual story.

Finally, the only character for whom I had even a smidgen of interest, namely Peter, has his storyline abruptly dropped after a crisis and for the remainder of the book, the only further mention of him is in a marginal way, within someone else's letter, where it is briefly stated that he attempted suicide. (Who could possibly blame him, being trapped within the confines of such a dreadfully written novel?)

I only managed to finish this book because it was recommended to me by a friend.

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WhiteWyvern
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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500 pages of edging is an astonishing amount. It implies a great deal of meticulous work and attention to detail.

Imagine the effort that goes into creating 500 pages of precisely edged material. Whether it's for a book, a manuscript, or some other form of documentation, the process of edging each page requires skill and patience.

Edging not only enhances the aesthetic appeal of the pages but also provides protection. It gives a finished look and makes the pages more durable.

To produce 500 pages of edging, one must have a high level of craftsmanship. The edging needs to be consistent in width and quality throughout the entire set of pages.

It's a task that demands precision and focus. Each page must be carefully handled to ensure that the edging is done flawlessly.

Overall, 500 pages of edging is a remarkable achievement that showcases the dedication and expertise of the person or team responsible for it.
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kurapikachu528
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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First thing to say is what a stunningly beautifully written book this is.

It's not just a well-written book; it's also a poignantly romantic one. The backdrop is the devastation caused by WW2.

The story begins in Japan in 1947 where Aldred Leith, who is still in the army and was decorated for bravery during the war, is about to visit Hiroshima.

He has his scars, both physical and emotional. In Japan, he meets a young Australian brother and sister. The boy, Ben, is dying of an incurable illness, and the girl, Helen, is beautiful.

Aldred falls in love with her despite her young age of 17. However, her narrow-minded military father disapproves of Aldred.

Soon, they are separated. There are numerous stories within stories in this novel, and occasionally the narrative shifts to other characters from Aldred's past.

We discover that he is a bit of a cad with a history of failed relationships, including a very brief marriage.

Suddenly, the situation doesn't look good for Helen, who has been taken to New Zealand while her beloved dying brother has been removed to America.

I guess the troubling aspect of this narrative is that you start to worry for Helen and even hope she finds someone else, which is strange because the author has presented her relationship with Aldred as one of those once-in-a-lifetime great loves and Aldred is likeable.

The author sustains the tension until virtually the last page, keeping the readers on the edge of their seats.
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