Gnomon: A novel

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Author Nick Harkaway yet again showcases intricate writing with his most recent novel, Gnomon. Set in a world embracing full transparency, The Witness is always watching in the name of citizens’ safety. Then, the unprecedented death of a woman named Diana Hunter occurs while she is in government custody, calling attention to The System. Inspector Mielikki Neith is assigned the case file named Gnomon; randomly named, though the word and its different definitions pop up throughout as a main theme of the ensuing investigation.

With full access to Hunters’ memories and recording of the interrogation, Neith enters a puzzle more convoluted than anticipated. What happened? And why? What she experiences are detailed, unrelated anecdotes of different personalities within Hunter’s memories. In following the clues, Neith finds herself questioning the validity of the System which employs her.

In the way that it’s structured, the points of view in Gnomon constantly jump around, so the linear plot is often broken up. The attention to detail is impressive, as is the overall concept, albeit complicated. The density makes it difficult to read in chunks at a time. But for the literature fan who appreciates an ambitious text, Gnomon pulls the reader through a different, if not several different worlds.


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Author
Star Count 4/5
Format Hard
Page Count 688 pages
Publisher Knopf
Publish Date 2018-Jan-09
ISBN 9781524732080
Bookshop.org Buy this Book
Issue July 2018
Category Modern Literature
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