Lezersrecensie
Money, money, money
Neal Stephenson's Baroque Cycle consists of a total of 8 books, which were later released as a trilogy. The Confusion is the second part of this trilogy and contains books four and five, respectively Bonanza and The Juncto. Since both books cover the same time period, the chapters of the books are told alternately.
Bonanza follows the adventures of Jack, while The Juncto covers the rise of Eliza. Where Bonanza is primarily an "over the top" adventure novel, The Juncto delves into the rise of the modern banking system, the founding of the Bank of England, and the emergence of the modern economy. Quicksilver was about the origins of modern science, and in this book, Stephenson shows that the outcomes of what was then called natural philosophy can also be applied to finance and economics. The scene in which Eliza explains to her party guests how to transfer money from one country to another is brilliant.
Meanwhile, in Bonanza, Jack is captured as a slave. Together with others, the Cabal, they plan to escape while simultaneously plotting to hijack a ship full of silver. This throws Jack and the Cabal into a series of adventures where nothing goes as planned. Occasionally, Stephenson allows these two stories to intersect in ingenious ways. Gradually, the trilogy also shifts from historical fiction to historical fiction with fantastic elements.
Although this book is thematically less dense than Quicksilver, it is once again a tour de force by Stephenson.
5 stars.
Bonanza follows the adventures of Jack, while The Juncto covers the rise of Eliza. Where Bonanza is primarily an "over the top" adventure novel, The Juncto delves into the rise of the modern banking system, the founding of the Bank of England, and the emergence of the modern economy. Quicksilver was about the origins of modern science, and in this book, Stephenson shows that the outcomes of what was then called natural philosophy can also be applied to finance and economics. The scene in which Eliza explains to her party guests how to transfer money from one country to another is brilliant.
Meanwhile, in Bonanza, Jack is captured as a slave. Together with others, the Cabal, they plan to escape while simultaneously plotting to hijack a ship full of silver. This throws Jack and the Cabal into a series of adventures where nothing goes as planned. Occasionally, Stephenson allows these two stories to intersect in ingenious ways. Gradually, the trilogy also shifts from historical fiction to historical fiction with fantastic elements.
Although this book is thematically less dense than Quicksilver, it is once again a tour de force by Stephenson.
5 stars.
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