Friday, October 8, 2010

Her Fearful Symmetry

Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger

As we take our tour through Her Fearful Symmetry, I would like to point out some important details for you to ponder.  First of all, let me welcome you to Highgate Cemetery in North London, a most historical place with many famous burials located within our walls.  It is our first stop on the tour and the background of the book.

 Notice as you enter the gates, the high stone arches and look around at all the beautiful stone statues located above the family crypts.  The artistry is lovely but also notice the plant and wildlife located here.  As old cemeteries go, this one is full of character and history.  Beware of Ghosts and Be sure to stop by the family crypt when your in town.

Let's cross the street and visit the flat in London where the main characters live.  There are three large flats located in the building.  The flat on the ground floor is owned by Elspeth, who dies early on in the novel and leaves her flat to her twin sisters children, who also happen to be twins.  There names are Veronica and Julia.  There are secrets and strange happenings in this flat. When you enter the flat notice how cold your skin feels, it is quite natural to get the chills here so remember your sweater.

The middle flat is owned by Robert, who is a tour guide of the Highgate Cemetery.  He happened to be Elspeth's lover before she died and he misses her terribly.  The twins are a welcome distraction when he is not busy working on his thesis on Highgate cemetery.  Veronica is his favorite.  There really isn't much to see here except Elspeth's personal diary which details her relationship with her twin, Edie, and divulges their secrets.

The top flat is owned by a man named Martin who has Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and cannot leave his flat.  It is definitely a sight to see.  There are boxes everywhere and paper on the windows.  He became friends with Julia while trying to be a better man for his wife.  Watch your step and be careful not to injure yourself.  The newspapers on the front step are in a precarious place.  

Well, this concludes our tour of Her Fearful Symmetry.  Please leave your comments in the green box along with a small donation to keep the cemetery open.

Thank you all for coming.  I hope you had a lovely tour today.
 Your book guide,










I received this book through Crazy Book Tours.