A SIGN OF THE TIMES- "THE HYPNOTIST" BOOK REVIEW

Title: The Hypnotist

Author: Laurence Anholt

Publication: 2016

Genre: Historical Fiction

My Rating: ★★★★

Favourite Quote: "[...] she simply said that a sense of curiosity was a commendable thing and if more young men took the trouble to understand the natural beauty of the female form, there might be a little more respect and lot less stupidity amongst them."

"In the dead of night, Pip is plucked from an orphanage and hired as a farm hand. But Pip is black. The farmer and his wife are white. And this is 1960’s America, where race defines you.          

Jack Morrow has left his native Ireland dreaming of a new life in the American Deep South. He has certain skills that he mostly keeps hidden. Skills in hypnotism and mind control...

Pip and Jack’s lives become inextricably linked as the heat of racial tension builds to a terrifying storm.”

Set in the 1960s, the story follows three characters: Pip, an African-American orphan; Hannah a Native-American maid and Jack, an Irish immigrant and hypnotist. Between them, there are three different forms of narration: a third-person account of Pip and his experiences; the first-person reflection from Jack who addresses the readers directly; and a series of original poems/songs from Hannah. The book pieces together their experiences on a farm in deep southern America and the shift between their voices add a wonderful texture and a variety to the reading experience. 

When Pip is bought and paid for at an orphanage, he's worried about his future.  But the worn, skinny old man called Mr Zachary who 'adopts' him is kind and explains to Pip he chose him because he can read to his bed-ridden wife, Lillybelle, seeing as the Zachary's are illiterate. On the farm, Pip meets another teenager- the mute and mysterious  Hannah, who Pip thinks is the most beautiful girl he's ever seen. They meet Jack, their neighbour, who tutors them and he strikes up a fatherly relationship with the children due to his empathy and respect for them and soon enough they earn each other's trust and they all become friends.

Life on Dead River Farm, however, isn't all sweet. The Zachary's have a son called Erwin- an angry racist, Vietnam veteran who's also the leader of the local Ku Klux Klan. Pip, Jack and Hannah face the prejudice, danger and violence of the racist, ignorant people they encounter. Jack delivers a kind of therapy and escapism for the children through his hypnotism. Together, the three of them open up to one another, exploring their pasts and working towards finding a way to make a future in an environment that doesn't offer them much.

"That's th' way it should be," said Lillybelle. 'Folks livin' together in harmony like spoons in a drawer."

Something I love about this book is that Pip is inspired by Dickens' Pip from Great Expectations- Pip's favourite book in the novel which he always carries around with him. Elements from the original text flow through the book: from his parentless childhood; meeting the modern Miss Havisham, lying obese in her bed surrounded by decaying food and the tempestuous Hannah who lives in the house and with whom Pip promptly falls in love with. Though modern versions of classics can be really awesome to read about, I'm glad Anholt doesn't mirror Great Expectations too rigorously. There's room in the novel for a new, deeper and darker story to emerge.

"My mind was in turmoil and fear [..] this fear was something far darker and sinister. It was the realisation that the world I thought I knew did not exist at all- the word 'justice' had been torn from the dictionary."

The Hypnotist lays out the political and social context of the time, plotting insignificant moments of the civil rights struggle and other events, crucial to the 1960s.  One of the reasons why I love this book and have chosen to acknowledge it in my blog is because it reflects a contentious contemporary environment, which is very worrying seeing as this book takes place 60 years ago.  It's horrible to see the parallels between then and now. No we don't have segregation anymore and yes, the race relations are better than they were but they're far from perfect. There's still a number of issues with racism, ignorance and interrogation. Whilst reading some of the racist rants in the book, it sounded all too familiar to the stuff being said today, particularly in post-Brexit Britain. The Hypnotist shows the awful consequences of when these dangerous views go unchallenged. 

"Colour prejudice would indeed be comical if it were not subjugating, dividing and murdering to this very day."

 The book has a strong moral objective which demonstrates that hate in all forms should be rejected. The past shines a light on the present and hopefully, the exploration of the past in literature can help us not to repeat our indiscretions again. Anholt is adamant that we be aware that discrimination and its injustices can occur anywhere at any time and his novel articulates this sentiment, particularly the dark side of human nature. The inclusion of an afterword from Anholt also makes this read a particularly timely warning from history.

Overall, The Hypnotist is a compelling, vivid and powerful look at a turbulent period of American history that will have you weeping in frustration at the injustice in the world. It will shock you and educate you but will leave you believing that even in the most brutal and vulnerable environments, no matter how alone you may feel, there's still room for the discovery of kindness and friendship. Pip, Hannah and Jack are such a powerful unlikely trio who somehow defied the odds in their own way. 
I can't recommend this book enough!