Half Life (Jackson novel)
Author | Shelley Jackson |
---|---|
Cover artist | Jacket design by Roberto de Vicq de Cumptich |
Language | English |
Genre | Novel, alternate history |
Publisher | HarperCollins |
Publication date | July 25, 2006 |
Publication place | United States |
Media type | Print (hardback & paperback) |
Pages | 440 pp (first edition, hardcover) |
ISBN | 978-0-06-088235-8 (first edition, hardcover) |
OCLC | 63165002 |
813/.54 22 | |
LC Class | PS3560.A2448 H35 2006 |
Half Life is the 2006 debut novel of American writer and artist Shelley Jackson. The novel presupposes an alternate history in which the atomic bomb resulted in a genetic preponderance of conjoined twins, who eventually become a minority subculture.
Overview
[edit]The book tells the story of a disenchanted conjoined twin named Nora Olney who plots to have her twin murdered.
Reception
[edit]Half Life received mixed-to-positive reviews; Newsweek called it "brilliant and funny,"[1] and The New York Times, while praising Jackson's ambition as "truly glorious," added that "All this razzle-dazzle, all the allusions, [and] the narrative loop-de-loops [get] a bit busy."[2] It won the 2006 James Tiptree, Jr. Award for science fiction and fantasy.
References
[edit]- ^ Braiker, Brian. "Two Times a Lady", Newsweek, 2006-08-16. Retrieved on 2007-08-01.
- ^ D'Erasmo, Stacey. "My Sister and Me", The New York Times, 2006-08-13. Retrieved on 2007-08-01.