Review of The Bridge
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Anna Buchanan
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- Latest Review: The Bridge by Andrew Palmer
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Review of The Bridge
[Following is a volunteer review of "The Bridge" by Andrew Palmer.]
The Bridge, written by Andrew Palmer, is a work of historical fiction which actually contains two stories. Following are the main characters:
Archibald McDougall, the lead engineer on the Quebec Bridge Project, confronted Teddy Cardinal -- the Quebec Bridge project manager -- about the gross errors found in the blueprints and the faulty construction materials for the bridge project. In spite of the fact that he had been very aware of the truth of what McDougall told him, Cardinal would not stop the work on the bridge, nor would he acknowledge that his decision to proceed with the construction placed the workers in grave and imminent danger.
Alec Durand was an ambitious, but insecure, apprentice engineer who overreached his talent and capabilities when he accepted Cardinal's offer to become the lead engineer on the Quebec Bridge Project after McDougall had quit. Although Durand had firsthand knowledge about some faulty blueprints, he had been so blinded by his obsessive need to prove himself as a capable and upcoming engineer that he had accepted Cardinal's offer. Alec Durand especially wanted to prove himself to his wife Ginette.
Teddy Cardinal ran from the consequences of his failure to properly manage the Quebec Bridge Project and to oversee the corrections of the safety issues which included defective building materials. Teddy Cardinal had let the work proceed in spite of this knowledge. Alec Durand had been his scapegoat.
Because Ginette Durand had been at the same place at the same moment as Teddy Cardinal and Archibald McDougall, she had overheard the two men arguing about the urgent need to stop the construction of the Quebec Bridge. Subsequently, she had shared this information with her husband, Alec Durand; but he had chosen to ignore the truth and had assured her that everything would be fine. Her fears had not been allayed because she had heard the truth for herself.
Each of the three men had a personal agenda which had not embraced acting on the truth about the probable and devastating consequences of moving forward on an already doomed project. Therefore, each man had been guilty and complicit in a cover up and the failure to stop a preventable catastrophe.
Moving forward to the present, we meet Esther and Ben who are both engineering students. Esther, the protagonist, is driven by family values and long-term academic goals. Ben is the antagonist who has no clearly defined goals nor does he adhere to most social norms.
The two students have been paired to work on a school assignment. When they chose the subject of the Quebec Bridge, they not only learned about the repercussions of this historical event, but they also realized that one can truly learn from the past. After reading the complete story of the Quebec Bridge disaster, Ben and Esther's perceptions of life changed for the better.
Esther's standards about the acceptance of other people became less rigid. Ben realized that he needed to make drastic changes in the way that he viewed his responsibilities as an individual and as a future engineer.
The narrative flows effortlessly between the intersections of the past and the present. Due to Andrew Palmer's unfaltering mastery of his control over the narrative, the events of the past and the present are a carefully woven masterpiece. The author has crafted a page turning novel.
Historical fiction is usually tied to a specific event; thus, the depiction of the events must be factual. The author is required to follow certain guidelines, if the events presented in the work are to be accepted as credible and authentic. Historical fiction represents a specific and recognizable time period. So, the author must carefully research the characteristics pertinent to the particular time period that he has chosen as his subject matter.
Andrew Palmer demonstrates through his depiction of the Quebec Bridge disaster that he has conducted careful and accurate research about the subject. In addition, his detailed descriptions of the construction site, the surrounding structures, the heat from the furnace, the tools, and materials -- steel beams, girders, torches and anvils -- give further support to his meticulous research.
The author lends great authenticity to the narrative by using the technical language and patterns of speech specific to that time period. Andrew Palmer's adeptness at using this technique creates credibility throughout the novel. Thus, the reader learns so much about the events that occurred before and after the disaster.
The reader becomes aware of the dreams, aspirations and flaws of the characters as Andrew Palmer uses dialogue between the main characters to reveal their thoughts and deeds.
I found instances of two typos. These were the only negative points.
This novel appears to have been professionally edited and I am giving it a rating of 4 out of 4 stars.
I strongly recommend this book to lovers of historical fiction.
******
The Bridge
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
The Bridge, written by Andrew Palmer, is a work of historical fiction which actually contains two stories. Following are the main characters:
Archibald McDougall, the lead engineer on the Quebec Bridge Project, confronted Teddy Cardinal -- the Quebec Bridge project manager -- about the gross errors found in the blueprints and the faulty construction materials for the bridge project. In spite of the fact that he had been very aware of the truth of what McDougall told him, Cardinal would not stop the work on the bridge, nor would he acknowledge that his decision to proceed with the construction placed the workers in grave and imminent danger.
Alec Durand was an ambitious, but insecure, apprentice engineer who overreached his talent and capabilities when he accepted Cardinal's offer to become the lead engineer on the Quebec Bridge Project after McDougall had quit. Although Durand had firsthand knowledge about some faulty blueprints, he had been so blinded by his obsessive need to prove himself as a capable and upcoming engineer that he had accepted Cardinal's offer. Alec Durand especially wanted to prove himself to his wife Ginette.
Teddy Cardinal ran from the consequences of his failure to properly manage the Quebec Bridge Project and to oversee the corrections of the safety issues which included defective building materials. Teddy Cardinal had let the work proceed in spite of this knowledge. Alec Durand had been his scapegoat.
Because Ginette Durand had been at the same place at the same moment as Teddy Cardinal and Archibald McDougall, she had overheard the two men arguing about the urgent need to stop the construction of the Quebec Bridge. Subsequently, she had shared this information with her husband, Alec Durand; but he had chosen to ignore the truth and had assured her that everything would be fine. Her fears had not been allayed because she had heard the truth for herself.
Each of the three men had a personal agenda which had not embraced acting on the truth about the probable and devastating consequences of moving forward on an already doomed project. Therefore, each man had been guilty and complicit in a cover up and the failure to stop a preventable catastrophe.
Moving forward to the present, we meet Esther and Ben who are both engineering students. Esther, the protagonist, is driven by family values and long-term academic goals. Ben is the antagonist who has no clearly defined goals nor does he adhere to most social norms.
The two students have been paired to work on a school assignment. When they chose the subject of the Quebec Bridge, they not only learned about the repercussions of this historical event, but they also realized that one can truly learn from the past. After reading the complete story of the Quebec Bridge disaster, Ben and Esther's perceptions of life changed for the better.
Esther's standards about the acceptance of other people became less rigid. Ben realized that he needed to make drastic changes in the way that he viewed his responsibilities as an individual and as a future engineer.
The narrative flows effortlessly between the intersections of the past and the present. Due to Andrew Palmer's unfaltering mastery of his control over the narrative, the events of the past and the present are a carefully woven masterpiece. The author has crafted a page turning novel.
Historical fiction is usually tied to a specific event; thus, the depiction of the events must be factual. The author is required to follow certain guidelines, if the events presented in the work are to be accepted as credible and authentic. Historical fiction represents a specific and recognizable time period. So, the author must carefully research the characteristics pertinent to the particular time period that he has chosen as his subject matter.
Andrew Palmer demonstrates through his depiction of the Quebec Bridge disaster that he has conducted careful and accurate research about the subject. In addition, his detailed descriptions of the construction site, the surrounding structures, the heat from the furnace, the tools, and materials -- steel beams, girders, torches and anvils -- give further support to his meticulous research.
The author lends great authenticity to the narrative by using the technical language and patterns of speech specific to that time period. Andrew Palmer's adeptness at using this technique creates credibility throughout the novel. Thus, the reader learns so much about the events that occurred before and after the disaster.
The reader becomes aware of the dreams, aspirations and flaws of the characters as Andrew Palmer uses dialogue between the main characters to reveal their thoughts and deeds.
I found instances of two typos. These were the only negative points.
This novel appears to have been professionally edited and I am giving it a rating of 4 out of 4 stars.
I strongly recommend this book to lovers of historical fiction.
******
The Bridge
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: The Bridge by Andrew Palmer
