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Oct. 26 - Nov. 2, 2003 |
A Truly Soul-Searching Tale
Douglas Coupland's new novel explores human emotions in the aftermath of tragedy
By Janet Bellotto
Originally Published: 2003-10-19
It was a gray, drizzly Monday at the offices of Random House where Tandem met with Douglas Coupland to discuss his new novel Hey Nostradamus!
After a quick introduction, Coupland immediately found a niche of discussion with the photographer, asking if he drove a Mustang, noticing his jacket.
Now one could possibly relate every major event in one's life to Nostradamus and maybe ask why others weren't or can't be predicted, or how someone will actually feel or react when confronted with horror. In history, though, in the recollection of events, the personal is never remembered, it is not visceral. The rapists, the murderers, etc. are.
Instead of the usual crime novel that follows the psychological mindset of the killers, Coupland has taken the root to explore a victim's relationship in the aftermath of a massacre. He has approached the subject with ultimate delicacy and thought. He has created four characters that make up this narrative - "four" like the quatraines of Nostradamus' prophecies. In an age of reality TV, it's refreshing.
"I believe," is where Cheryl Anway begins. In 1988, two teenagers, Cheryl Anway and Jason get married in Las Vegas. The couple did what many people do when they grow up and take on responsibilities. Yet the happiness is shattered and ripples throughout the fictional thread that unwinds.
The marriage frees them from guilt of their sexual encounters. Cheryl soon learns she's pregnant. A massacre unfolds in their high-school cafeteria at lunch hour where Cheryl is left for dead. The story jumps to 1999 with Jason. His story is poignant, abound with laughter and realities of the human condition.
Next we meet Heather, 2002, who loves Jason and who searches for him via face-recognition technology after he disappears. The author brings in mathematical equations, x's and y's, and cloning. Details are crisper than fresh lettuce.
The story of Reg in the last chapter is only 14 pages. It is a character Coupland says people may dislike because of something they recognize in themselves. Coupland continues his mastery of storytelling, his anecdotes of the everyday and paints a picture of faith confronting horror.
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