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Northumberland - The Stars Look Down by A. J. Cronin


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NORTHUMBERLAND
 
The Stars Look Down by A. J. Cronin
 
Synopsis:
The Stars Look Down was A.J. Cronin's fourth novel, published in 1935, and this tale of a North country mining family was a great favourite with his readers. Robert Fenwick is a miner, and so are his three sons. His wife is proud that all her four men go down the mines. But David, the youngest, is determined that somehow he will educate himself and work to ameliorate the lives of his comrades who ruin their health to dig the nation's coal. It is, perhaps, a typical tale of the era in which it was written – there were many novels about coal mining, but Cronin, a doctor turned author, had a gift for storytelling, and in his time wrote several very popular and successful novels In the magnificent narrative tradition of The Citadel, Hatter’s Castle and Cronin’s other novels, The Stars Look Down is deservedly remembered as a classic of its age.
 
Other Northumberland books:
Ruined City by Nevil Shute
The Throwback by Tom Sharpe

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  • 2 years later...

(Also posted in my blog)

016-2016-Feb-21-The%20Stars%20Look%20Dow

The Stars Look Down by A J Cronin

A J Cronin was a doctor by trade and wrote his first novel after being prescribed six months’ bed rest following an illness. He is probably most famous for creating Dr Finlay who featured in a TV series in the late 1960s (not that I’ve ever seen it, but I had heard of it!).

Set in fictional Sleescale, a mining town on the coast of Northumberland and in Tynecastle (which is, as the name suggests, based on Newcastle upon Tyne) The Stars Look Down focuses on three men from Sleescale – Davey Fenwick who works in the local Neptune pit with his father and brothers, Joe Gowlan who also works in the mine and Arthur Barras who is the son of the pit’s owner. Whilst Arthur lives a life of privilege, both Davey and Joe live in poor circumstances and have aspirations of escaping from the mine and making more of their lives. Davey dreams of becoming a teacher whilst Joe plans a less principled route to improve his lot – but both men’s lives are still inexorably bound to the mine and the lives of those who still live in Sleescale. Some of the characters in the story do escape their past, whilst others come full circle – not everyone gets their just deserts!

This rich, absorbing novel, which has a large cast of interesting characters starts in 1903 and spans three decades, covering subjects such as the proposed nationalism of the mining industry (which didn’t actually take place until the mid-forties), the changing place of women in society and the First World War, including the problems facing those who objected to the conflict. It took me a little while to get into the story, but once I did I found it compelling and I couldn’t put it down! The writing is compelling and one description of an incident in the mine in particular had me holding my breath! It’s one of those books where each chapter focuses on one character although the lives of the characters do overlap with the chapters – I like that style of writing.

In terms of the Counties Challenge, the mining element of the story gives a real feel for the area – I loved the tightness of the communities which came together in times of trouble. I enjoyed the historical aspects very much – the striking miners in this reminded me of my time at college when the 1984 strike was taking place and dominated the headlines. I say historical, but of course at the time this was published it was a contemporary novel and might even have ruffled a few feathers with its pro-nationalisation stance.

There is no doubt that Cronin was a born storyteller. This ‘saga’ type of novel might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but I loved it and I hope those reading it as part of the challenge enjoy it too. It’s not the first of Cronin’s books I’ve read. Beyond This Place was a real favourite of mine when I was in my late teens and I read it several times, and after reading this I will probably revisit that one and I’m determined to try more. Top stuff.

4/5 (I really enjoyed it)

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  • 3 months later...

(Copied from my book log)


 


I hadn't heard of this novel before it was picked for the English Counties Challenge, but I bumped it up the list following Janet's excellent review. 


 


This starts just before World War I and continues into the 1930s, but so much of it resonates in today's society. 


 


A mining town in the North East where boys know from birth that their destiny is to go down the mines, with no other career option open to them. Except for our main character, who goes into teaching and then into politics with the aim of changing things for the better for his fellow workers.


 


The themes of capitalism and socialism are strong here, with the author clearly an advocate for the latter. But this isn't a preachy read, it's an absorbing one - and a very frustrating one as well, with the downtrodden workers struggling to exert any influence for themselves or secure safety measures. Ultimately, they just want to work and earn their crust, and it's sad when you realise how far the system has control over this little patch of the North East. 


 


And how that still resonates today in deprived areas.


 


Set against this are the ne'er-do-wells, those who take advantage of the situation for their own ends, both rich and (originally!) poor. Not everyone gets their just desserts come the end, and while you can take that as a quite depressing indictment of society, this doesn't feel like a depressing slog. The characters leap off the page and let us into their world. In this world, justice isn't always served. It's a slice of realism, but a thoroughly absorbing, dare I say enjoyable one. 


 


This is my first Cronin, but I will definitely seek out more of his work. 


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