{"id":33209,"date":"2023-11-28T20:46:51","date_gmt":"2023-11-28T18:46:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.christinaschlegl.de\/?p=33209"},"modified":"2023-11-30T11:58:06","modified_gmt":"2023-11-30T09:58:06","slug":"t-c-boyles-blue-skies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.christinaschlegl.de\/en\/kategorien\/kultur\/t-c-boyles-blue-skies","title":{"rendered":"T.C. Boyles’ Blue Skies"},"content":{"rendered":"

Blue Skies<\/strong>
\n“Blue Skies” is the new apocalyptic novel by the cult author T.C. Boyle. The plot is quite
\ngripping. The book is, on the one hand, a tragicomic family story and, on the other hand, an
\nenvironmental thriller, from which one hopes that the scenario never comes true. The
\ninitially perfect and sheltered life of siblings Cat(herine) and Cooper turns into a veritable
\nnightmare throughout the story, making the narrative a page-turner. However, Boyle strikes
\na more reconciliatory tone towards the end, leaving his audience with a glimmer of hope.<\/p>\n

Willie I and Willie II<\/strong>
\nAlthough Cat and Cooper get along well, their lifestyles could not be more different. Cat
\nmoves from California to Florida with her fianc\u00e9 Todd. The “Barcadi Ambassador” has
\ninherited a house by the sea from his deceased mother. The hipster couple maintains a
\nsophisticated lifestyle. While Todd jets around the world for his parties, the neglected and
\nbored Cat discovers the influencer life for herself. To stand out and differentiate from the
\nflood of social media advertisers, the young woman first acquires a special type of animal
\nand shortly thereafter, a second one. On a whim, she names them Willie I and Willie II, which
\ncolloquially means nothing other than “penis.”
\nWhen Cat becomes pregnant and gives birth to twins against her husband’s wishes, fate
\ntakes its course. Both Willie II and the extreme weather in Florida play a crucial role, not to
\nmention Todd’s arrogant demeanor and his alcohol excesses.<\/p>\n

A Bloodsucker Brings Doo<\/strong>m
\nOn the West Coast, Cooper, on the other hand, is dedicated to saving the planet with his
\ngirlfriend. He has already successfully infiltrated his mother: instead of meat, they have
\ninsect burgers for dinner, self-cultivated, of course. However, the persistently dry weather is
\nunkind to the breeder; her charges repeatedly die off. When Cooper is also attacked by a
\nbloodsucker during one of his field studies, it has unforeseen consequences. Thus, fate in
\nCalifornia also takes a grim turn, and the once success-favored sibling pair becomes two
\nlosers driven by their destiny.<\/p>\n

Scorched Earth<\/strong>
\nThe Blue Skies under which both grew up cannot keep their promise. While it incessantly
\nrains in Florida, the earth in California withers away. On one side, people fight against the
\nmasses of water that either sweep everything away or cause it to rot. On the other side,
\npeople battle against the firestorms that leave nothing but scorched earth behind.
\nAt the climax of the story, when the breathless reader already believes everything is lost,
\nBoyle pulls the literary emergency brake and signals a sign of hope. Nevertheless, the end of
\nthe narrative remains open. The audience is left with an uneasy feeling that Boyle’s dystopia
\nis not so far removed from what we already partially see in news broadcasts. Fortunately,
\nBoyle has infused his terrifying scenario with a generous dose of black humor.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Blue Skies “Blue Skies” is the new apocalyptic novel by the cult author T.C. Boyle. The plot is quite gripping. The book is, on the one hand, a tragicomic family story and, on the other hand, an environmental thriller, from which one hopes that the scenario never comes true. The initially perfect and sheltered life of siblings Cat(herine) and Cooper<\/p>\n

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