Set in an alternate history where Britain and Nazi Germany have agreed to a peace settlement, 'Ha'penny' follows Inspector Carmichael as he navigates a dangerous landscape of political subterfuge and assassination plots. The story unfolds against a backdrop of subtle but alarming societal changes post-World War II, with themes of fascism, resistance, and the complexities of human nature interwoven into a thrilling narrative. Readers are taken on a journey through a chillingly convincing portrayal of a Britain teetering on the edge of totalitarianism, with compelling characters like Viola Lark and Inspector Carmichael at the forefront of the plot.
Jo Walton's writing style in 'Ha'penny' is praised for its ability to blend elements of police procedural, alternate history, and high-order literature seamlessly. The alternating perspectives between Viola Lark and Inspector Carmichael offer a deep dive into the characters' motivations and struggles, creating a sense of rising suspense and emotional investment. Walton's intricate world-building and attention to detail bring the oppressive atmosphere of the fascist regime to life, making 'Ha'penny' a gripping and thought-provoking read.
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Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings
Content warnings include themes of political violence, assassination, and the oppressive atmosphere of a fascist regime.
From The Publisher:
Before Jo Walton won the Hugo and Nebula Awards for her stunning Among Others, she published a trilogy set in a dark alternate postwar England that had negotiated "Peace with Honor" with Nazi Germany in 1941. These novels-Farthing, Ha'penny, and Half a Crown-are connected by common threads, but can be read in any order.
In Ha'penny, England has completed its slide into fascist dictatorship. The last hopes of democracy seem extinguished. Then a bomb explodes in a London suburb.
The brilliant but compromised Inspector Carmichael of Scotland Yard is assigned the case. What he finds leads him to a conspiracy of peers and communists-of staunch King-and-Country patriots and hardened IRA gunmen-to murder the Prime Minister and his ally, Adolf Hitler.
Against a background of domestic espionage and suppression, a band of idealists blackmails an actress who holds the key to the Fuhrer's death. From the ha'penny seats in the theatre to the ha'pennys that cover dead men's eyes, the conspiracy and the investigation swirl inexorably to a stunning conclusion.
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This book begins two weeks after
Farthing, with Mark Normanby now Prime Minister of England and introducing laws to make England a fascist state to rival Germany. Anti-Semitism is rampant, communists are nearly equated with terrorists, and the jails are so full the country has to build new ones. It is a clear case of some white, Church of England middle class and above people turning their heads because their livelihoods have not yet been threatened. Churchill has been silenced and those who agree with him work as terrorists to bring down the new British regime and with any luck topple Germany.
In
Ha'penny, we alternate between the first person perspective of Viola Lark (nee Larkin) and the third person perspective of Inspector Carmichael, who solved the murder in
Farthing and was told to shut up about it. Viola, an actress, becomes involved in a plot to bomb Hitler and PM Normanby on the same night - the opening night of her play, Hamlet. Viola is to play Hamlet in a cross-cast production, and Walton does fun narrative tricks where Viola herself feels like she is in a play within a play, unable to make real decisions and unable to trust her instincts. Carmichael, despite being blackmailed by his superiors (for his homosexuality), sets out to discover why Viola's castmate is blown up in her apartment and whether further bombers are at large.
This alternate history is downright creepy for how easily it could have been. It is very affecting to read a scene in which Hitler is greeted by his British hosts and admired by a British accent who finds him charming and polite.
What can you read after
Ha'penny?
About the Author:
JO WALTON won the Hugo and Nebula Awards in 2012 for her novel Among Others. Before that, she won the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer, and her novel Tooth and Claw won the World Fantasy Award in 2004. The novels of her Small Change sequence-Farthing, Ha'penny, and Half a Crown-have won acclaim ranging from national newspapers to the Romantic Times Critics' Choice Award. A native of Wales, she lives in Montreal.
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