New Town: A Fable…Unless You Believe

This was a truly quirky book.

The author had a unique way of presenting the story, with some really vivid and interesting imagery that managed to capture my attention.

However, as much as I appreciated the creativity in the descriptions, I couldn't help but feel that the story line itself was very slow.

It seemed to plod along at a rather leisurely pace, which made it a bit of a challenge to stay fully engaged.

I found myself waiting for something more exciting to happen, for the plot to thicken or for the characters to face some sort of significant conflict.

Despite this, I still believe that there were some redeeming qualities to the book, and I'm glad I gave it a chance.

Maybe with a bit more pacing and a bit less emphasis on the slow build-up, it could have been a truly great read.

Plot Summary:

A man named Bernard falls asleep (or perhaps he dies?) while under the care of a nurse. When he wakes up, he finds himself in a strange town called Old Hertham. There, he encounters people who are familiar to him but have already passed away. One of them is a real estate agent who urges him to get on the waiting list for a home in New Town. This is because Old Hertham is built on faulty soil that is eroding, and every home in it has been condemned and will not be rebuilt. However, to obtain a house in New Town, Bernard needs references, forms, and has to wait. In the meantime, he stays with Eve, a former girlfriend, and her daughter Marie. There, he discovers that not everyone is enthusiastic about the idea of New Town. Some oppose it and wish to fight for the preservation of the homes in Old Hertham.

Style Characteristics:

This story is told in a dry, English, "old-fashioned" style. The pacing is rather slow, and the clarity could be improved. The structure is somewhat simple, and the narrative devices used are not very complex. Overall, it gives the impression of an allegory, but the plot is not very engaging.

How Good is it?

Blah. The story lacks excitement and fails to draw the reader in. The characters are not well-developed, and the plot seems to drag on. It has its moments, but overall, it is not a particularly outstanding piece of writing.

I wouldn't recommend this book. From the moment I began reading it, I had high hopes that it would improve as the story progressed. However, to my disappointment, it didn't. The plot seemed to drag on, and the characters lacked depth and development. I continued reading only because there wasn't much left to go. By the time I finished it, I felt like I had wasted my time. There were no real surprises or twists that kept me engaged. In my opinion, there are many other books out there that are much more interesting and worth reading.

The allegory that was presented seemed far too contrived to truly be convincing.

It lacked the natural flow and authenticity that is required for an allegory to have a profound impact on the reader.

The characters and their actions felt forced, as if they were simply being used to illustrate a particular point rather than developing organically within the story.

The symbolism was also rather heavy-handed, making it difficult for the reader to engage with the story on a deeper level.

Overall, the contrived nature of the allegory detracted from its potential to convey a meaningful message and left the reader feeling somewhat dissatisfied.

Perhaps with more careful planning and a greater attention to detail, the allegory could have been more successful in achieving its intended purpose.

**"A Great Read"**

A great read is like a magical portal that transports you to different worlds, introduces you to fascinating characters, and makes you experience a plethora of emotions. It has the power to captivate your attention from the very first page and keep you hooked until the last. Whether it's a thrilling mystery that keeps you on the edge of your seat, a heartwarming romance that tugs at your heartstrings, or an inspiring non-fiction piece that broadens your knowledge and perspective, a great read has something for everyone.

It allows you to escape the mundane realities of life and immerse yourself in a world of imagination and possibility. You can explore new cultures, learn about different historical periods, and gain insights into the human condition. A great read can also be a source of inspiration and motivation, encouraging you to pursue your dreams and become a better person.

So, the next time you pick up a book, make sure it's a great read. Let it take you on a journey that you'll never forget and enrich your life in ways you never thought possible.

Years ago, I had the opportunity to read Blamires' book, The Post Christian Mind, and I truly appreciated it. The fact that he was a student and friend of C.S. Lewis added to my (moderately) high expectations for this particular book. However, unfortunately, it turned out to be a let down.

The only reason I gave this book 2 stars was that it was relatively well written for what it was: an allegorical-dream narrative. When it comes to the actual point of the book, I firmly believe it deserved only a single star.

The mechanism of this story is not dissimilar to Lewis's protagonist slipping in the bath, banging his head, and then dreaming of purgatory in The Great Divorce. Some have criticized New Town for its weak character development and other aspects. The same could be said for Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress or Lewis's Pilgrim's Regress or Great Divorce. But these are very specific types of stories and are not intended to be a deep exploration into the personal psyche and character of the main actors. This type of story does not require a lot of detail. Instead, they all use allegory (Progress & Regress) or metaphor (Great Divorce) to present a different perspective through which to view an aspect of reality. They have more in common with myths or fables than with a fully developed and detailed novel. Therefore, deep characters that we come to identify with should not really be an expected feature.

Overall, I found this to be a very wooden, clunky, point-by-point type of allegory. Much of the imagery used for the Christian church and its practices, as well as its ministers and members, gives a wrong or at least one-sided and imbalanced impression. In this story, Christian evangelists are portrayed as real estate agents, trying to persuade people to invest all their time, effort, and focus on getting on the waiting list for a brand new luxury home with all the comforts and options in New Town (heaven), rather than wasting time on their deteriorating and rusting present dwellings and lives in Old Hertham (this earthly life). While this imagery might have made a good 5-page fable or parable to teach Jesus' point about not storing up treasure on earth but rather in heaven, it fails to translate well into a book of around 150 pages. The overwhelming sense you are left with is that the central point of the whole Christian faith is simply waiting for heaven. When the story focuses so deeply on this one particular aspect of biblical truth, it presents an imbalanced and incomplete picture of reality by not including many other parallel truths that Scripture teaches about this life. For example, that we can do things in this life that are symbolically building with gold, silver, and precious stones; and that our main focus in this life and the next is glorifying God. Christian witness to the lost world plays a minor role in the lives of the New Town "waiters" (the description of those who are on the waiting list). Whether intentionally or not, the theology of Christians and the church presented in this story is one of being so heavenly minded that they are of no earthly good.

I think the overall theological driver of this book is a wrong view (albeit a common one) of the kingdom of heaven. Instead of seeing the consummation of the kingdom of heaven as a time when "heaven" comes down and God renews the earth, creating a new heavens and a new earth, and God makes his dwelling with man, this view is one of the continuous deterioration of this earth and, hence, the utter futility of any care, concern, or effort spent on anything in this life. The ethic we are encouraged to embrace is one of doing as little as absolutely necessary in this life to just get by and expending most of our energy waiting for the next life. This is a "man the life boats" theology, rather than a "invade the land" theology. But this world is good, albeit fallen, and we are still called to stewardship, care, and dominion in this life, as well as to a vocation of occupation and conquering the world with the gospel message. God gives us meaningful vocations in this life, and to view them only as a necessary evil while we wait for the communal life in a luxury gated community of the world to come, rather than as a means of whole-hearted obedience, service, joy, and worship in this life, is to belittle God's creation, the extent of his redemptive work in the world, and his expansive grace in the midst of this life. The gospel doesn't just give us hope for the future and promised rewards for when this life is over. It redeems our vocations, our contexts, and our relationships in this life, and it transforms us and our present day life here and now. The kingdom of heaven (the reign of Christ) breaks in and permeates this world, rather than being a wholly future hope.

If this story were clearly just focused on communicating one message - that we should not store up treasures on earth - then the imagery would be appropriate. However, since it seems rather to be attempting to provide a symbolic point-by-point correlation to a holistic vision of the Christian life, it presents a very imbalanced and, therefore, errant view of the relationship between the Christian understanding of this life and the life to come.

I initially had high hopes that this would turn out to be an interesting read.

However, as I delved deeper into the book, I found that it failed to hold my attention.

Even after reaching the 100-page mark, I still couldn't seem to get fully engaged.

The story didn't have the kind of captivating elements that I was looking for.

It felt rather平淡and uneventful.

As a result, I ultimately decided to give up on it.

This was truly disappointing as I had been looking forward to a great literary experience.

But unfortunately, this particular book just didn't deliver.

I guess sometimes our expectations don't match up with the reality of what we encounter.

Maybe I'll have better luck with my next reading choice.

British authors really make me smile :D

Their works are like a treasure trove of creativity and imagination. From the classic novels of Jane Austen to the modern masterpieces of J.K. Rowling, British authors have a unique way of captivating readers.

They bring to life vivid characters and immersive worlds that transport us to different times and places. Whether it's the elegance of the Victorian era or the magic of a fictional wizarding world, their stories have the power to inspire and delight.

The language they use is often rich and beautiful, filled with wit and charm. It's a joy to read their words and discover the hidden meanings and subtleties within.

British authors truly have a special place in the world of literature, and I can't wait to explore more of their wonderful works.