Seen Dimly Before Dawn (1962)
What is Seen Dimly Before Dawn?
It is a line taken from a Balchin poem that gives its name to his twelfth novel, which was first published on 18 January 1962. In this new edition, the text of the novel itself runs to 194 pages and is accompanied by an introduction, comprehensive notes and a biographical essay about Balchin.
Synopsis
Walter Parrish is a fifteen-year-old public schoolboy with a passion for poetry. Walter’s parents are experiencing some marital difficulties so they send their son to live with his Uncle Patrick and Aunt Leonie on their ramshackle fruit farm in Kent for the duration of the school summer holidays. As Patrick is an invalid who is often confined to bed, it is natural that Walter should spend the bulk of his time in the company of Leonie and her Alsatian, Remus, who, like Walter, is extremely intelligent but also rather oversensitive. Walter quickly falls in love with the flirtatious, impetuous Leonie and his desire for her intensifies when she confides to him that she is not married to Patrick, but is merely his mistress.
The Parrishs’ fruit farm borders a sheep farm owned by the plain-speaking, domineering Colonel Masters and when Remus kills several of the sheep, Masters warns Leonie that if it happens again he will shoot Remus. Soon afterwards, while Walter is supposed to be looking after Remus, the dog escapes at night, intent on worrying the sheep again. Walter wakes Leonie and the pair set off to attempt to recapture Remus before Masters can put a bullet through him. Now read on…
(Covers of all editions)
Click here for a more detailed synopsis but please beware of plot spoilers!
Praise for Seen Dimly Before Dawn:
‘most readable’ – Anthony Burgess
‘formidable story-telling’ – Guardian
‘excellent’ – Sunday Times
‘the story pounds along eagerly with all senses alert’ – New Statesman
Why Should I Read This Book?
Because it is warm, nostalgic and nicely detailed but also because its two central characters are endearing and very believable. Despite its rural setting, this novel is not some H. E. Bates-style bucolic revel but a hard-edged story with real bite.
How Can I Buy Seen Dimly Before Dawn?
Seen Dimly Before Dawn is now available to purchase in print (£9.99) and ebook (£3.99) versions from Amazon via these links:
Seen Dimly Before Dawn: Amazon.co.uk: Balchin, Nigel, Collett, Derek: 9781914076190: Books
Seen Dimly Before Dawn eBook : Balchin, Nigel, Collett, Derek: Amazon.co.uk: Kindle Store
You can also obtain the book from the websites of Foyles, Waterstones or Blackwell’s or by placing an order with any UK bookshop.
In the event of any problems with obtaining the book, please contact the curator of the Nigel Balchin Collection, Derek Collett, at this email address: derekcollett1965@gmail.com |
