Claire Corbett
Autor/a de When We Have Wings
Sobre l'autor
Obres de Claire Corbett
Obres associades
Etiquetat
Coneixement comú
- Data de naixement
- 20th century
- Gènere
- female
- Nacionalitat
- Canada (birth)
Australia (residence) - País (per posar en el mapa)
- Australia
- Lloc de naixement
- Canada
- Llocs de residència
- Blue Mountains, New South Wales, Australia
- Professions
- film
government policy - Biografia breu
- Claire Corbett was born in Canada and has worked in film and government policy. She has had essays and stories broadcast on Radio National and published in a range of publications, including Rolling Stone, Cinema Papers, Picador New Writing and The Sydney Morning Herald. She was a finalist in The Independent Young Writer of the Year awards 1991, completed the MA Writing at UTS in 1997 and a Varuna Mentorship in 2000. When We Have Wings is her first novel. Claire currently lives with her husband, son and daughter in the Blue Mountains.
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Ressenyes
Recommended, and for someone who doesn't read detective novels, which in essence this was, it was done in such a well written and genre bending way that I really enjoyed it.
When We Have Wings by Claire Corbett is set in a vaguely near future Sydney where the rich can fly thanks to having wings implanted on their backs.
Before I get into talking about the story, I want to point out that, from a physics point of view, Corbett has described a very plausible situation. The wings people get are quite large (the impression I got was comparable to the height of the person) and they also get treatments to change the physiology to make their bones lighter (carbon fibre was involved) and their muscles stronger. And, of course, to grow the new muscles needed to control their wings. (For the record, the fictional wings were larger and more interestingly-coloured than on the cover, although it’s a nice cover despite that.)
I have little idea of how plausible the biology was, but assuming those biological modifications were possible, the physics seemed to check out (y’know, without actually writing out equations or anything). The descriptions of flight and weather patterns were also quite rigorous and I commend Corbett on her dedicated research. Those details made the book all the more realistic and helped with the suspension of disbelief so we could focus on the social issues surrounding flight.
The story follows two characters: Zeke, a PI investigating a nanny kidnapping the child of a flyer couple, and Peri, the nanny on the run. The mystery of why and where the nanny took the baby is not the real mystery, however — especially since about half the story is told from her point of view. The real mysteries become apparent when Zeke digs a little deeper and when events get away from everyone.
The setting isn’t a dystopia. Similar to what I said about Spare Parts, just because there is a widening gap between haves and have nots, doesn’t make it a dystopia. Especially when, other than the size of the gap, there aren’t many social or political differences to our world. It’s a commentary on where our world could go, given enough scientific progress. And it doesn’t make the assumption that the medical developments are inherently a bad thing, either. Partly, this is explored through Zeke having to make a choice as to whether to give his toddler son wings from an early age (it’s easier when they’re children) or whether to deprive him of flight and bar entrance into the elite flyer society.
In many ways, flight is a metaphor in When We Have Wings. However, it’s not just a metaphor, as evidenced by the rigorous world building and the real exploration of social issues surrounding flight. What makes us human? How much of a disadvantage is not being able to afford wings? Is being an ordinary human (in their world), without modification, edging towards being a disability since they can’t fly? There was a lot of background political discussion about equality and quotas (of non-modified humans) and equal access. In a world where everyone is expected to choose the most favourable characteristics for their unborn children and concerns like baldness are trivial to “fix” where do you draw the line? If you want an unadulterated genome, where does that leave you (other than as a member of the conservative anti-modification cult)?
Progress marches on.
When We Have Wings was an excellent read. I highly recommend it to fans of science fiction, fantasy and anything in between. I suspect it’s being at least partially marketed as main stream, so hey, all readers of fiction, go out and buy it!
4.5 / 5 stars
You can read more of my reviews at my blog.… (més)
Before I get into talking about the story, I want to point out that, from a physics point of view, Corbett has described a very plausible situation. The wings people get are quite large (the impression I got was comparable to the height of the person) and they also get treatments to change the physiology to make their bones lighter (carbon fibre was involved) and their muscles stronger. And, of course, to grow the new muscles needed to control their wings. (For the record, the fictional wings were larger and more interestingly-coloured than on the cover, although it’s a nice cover despite that.)
I have little idea of how plausible the biology was, but assuming those biological modifications were possible, the physics seemed to check out (y’know, without actually writing out equations or anything). The descriptions of flight and weather patterns were also quite rigorous and I commend Corbett on her dedicated research. Those details made the book all the more realistic and helped with the suspension of disbelief so we could focus on the social issues surrounding flight.
The story follows two characters: Zeke, a PI investigating a nanny kidnapping the child of a flyer couple, and Peri, the nanny on the run. The mystery of why and where the nanny took the baby is not the real mystery, however — especially since about half the story is told from her point of view. The real mysteries become apparent when Zeke digs a little deeper and when events get away from everyone.
The setting isn’t a dystopia. Similar to what I said about Spare Parts, just because there is a widening gap between haves and have nots, doesn’t make it a dystopia. Especially when, other than the size of the gap, there aren’t many social or political differences to our world. It’s a commentary on where our world could go, given enough scientific progress. And it doesn’t make the assumption that the medical developments are inherently a bad thing, either. Partly, this is explored through Zeke having to make a choice as to whether to give his toddler son wings from an early age (it’s easier when they’re children) or whether to deprive him of flight and bar entrance into the elite flyer society.
In many ways, flight is a metaphor in When We Have Wings. However, it’s not just a metaphor, as evidenced by the rigorous world building and the real exploration of social issues surrounding flight. What makes us human? How much of a disadvantage is not being able to afford wings? Is being an ordinary human (in their world), without modification, edging towards being a disability since they can’t fly? There was a lot of background political discussion about equality and quotas (of non-modified humans) and equal access. In a world where everyone is expected to choose the most favourable characteristics for their unborn children and concerns like baldness are trivial to “fix” where do you draw the line? If you want an unadulterated genome, where does that leave you (other than as a member of the conservative anti-modification cult)?
Progress marches on.
When We Have Wings was an excellent read. I highly recommend it to fans of science fiction, fantasy and anything in between. I suspect it’s being at least partially marketed as main stream, so hey, all readers of fiction, go out and buy it!
4.5 / 5 stars
You can read more of my reviews at my blog.… (més)
1 
Tsana | Hi ha 4 ressenyes més | May 14, 2012 |
Tsana | Hi ha 4 ressenyes més | May 14, 2012 | I do hope she writes a sequel! Claire Corbett has created a world I hope to read more about. I put this novel in my SF-Fantasy shelf even though it´s much much more than that and I definitely don´t want to scare anyone from reading it. The story is set in a future were man has learnt to manipulate nature and shape himself into fliers among a lot of other developments.
In the society, the city, there is an increasing tension between fliers and non-fliers because the fliers see themselves as a superiour kind. Both fliers and non-fliers live in the city sheltered from the others on the outside and the fliers seem to want to change the city to a place fit for them only.
The novel starts with a death and is in many ways a crime-story. Zeke, a private detective, gets involved more than he ever could have imagined and you really want to read on and on to learn what is happening.
I liked the plot but what really got me hooked was the world the author has created. She describes some of it, of course, but often she gives you a hint or just states a fact and let the reader form a picture of it and what has happened to it. That made me very curious. I want to know more!
The novel also raise many ethical, philosophical and thoughtprovoking questions. What defines a human being? Is it alright to manipulate your body? What happens to us when we change something in our genes? How do we wish to lead our lives? How much are you allowed to use another human being? What are we doing to our world?
This is why I hope the author will continue to write about it. And even though we get some answers in this novel there are many questions left to consider. And I really miss Zeke, Peri, Hugo and all the others.… (més)
In the society, the city, there is an increasing tension between fliers and non-fliers because the fliers see themselves as a superiour kind. Both fliers and non-fliers live in the city sheltered from the others on the outside and the fliers seem to want to change the city to a place fit for them only.
The novel starts with a death and is in many ways a crime-story. Zeke, a private detective, gets involved more than he ever could have imagined and you really want to read on and on to learn what is happening.
I liked the plot but what really got me hooked was the world the author has created. She describes some of it, of course, but often she gives you a hint or just states a fact and let the reader form a picture of it and what has happened to it. That made me very curious. I want to know more!
The novel also raise many ethical, philosophical and thoughtprovoking questions. What defines a human being? Is it alright to manipulate your body? What happens to us when we change something in our genes? How do we wish to lead our lives? How much are you allowed to use another human being? What are we doing to our world?
This is why I hope the author will continue to write about it. And even though we get some answers in this novel there are many questions left to consider. And I really miss Zeke, Peri, Hugo and all the others.… (més)
1 Amsa1959 | Hi ha 4 ressenyes més | Feb 22, 2012 |
Amsa1959 | Hi ha 4 ressenyes més | Feb 22, 2012 | Premis
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From the start Fowler knew there were secrets being kept from him by his new employer, too many things just didn't make sense. How did a poor girl from RaRA-land end up working for a prominent family in the city? How did a nanny afford the impossibly expensive operation to gain her wings? Why would a girl with everything to lose just up and leave with someone else's child?
When We Have Wings is the story of Peri's determination to obtain her lifelong dream of flight. A dream she gave everything to achieve, only to realise too late just what she really gave up for it. With amazingly vivid imagery and a cast of characters you can't help but care for, this absorbing story will have you dreaming of flight while simultaneously questioning the ethics, morals and evolutionary repercussion of such a dream turned reality. Peri is an extraordinary girl, although you won't know just why until you have experienced her story.… (més)