Monday, March 18, 2013

Book Review: The True Adventures of Charley Darwin by Meyer

The True Adventures of Charley Darwin by Carolyn Meyer

In this novel, Meyer writes as a young Charles Darwin, inscribing his memoirs in a journal.  This would be historically accurate in that Darwin filled many a journal with scientific discoveries, ideas, and personal thoughts.
The novel begins in 1818 when Darwin is nine years old and beginning school.  It then traces his life up to his marriage to Emma Wedgwood in 1839.  This time frame includes his voyage on the HMS Beagle from 1831 to 1836.
I must say, what I love about Meyer is she is authentic.  I very much felt like I was reading Darwin's voice.  I could feel every lurch of the boat and every bout of illness.
At the same time, I felt the pacing was a bit off.  Many pages were devoted to South America, where Darwin spent many months collecting and examining flora and fauna, but only a few pages were devoted to the Galapagos and Tahiti.  I was expecting a bit more meat on those pages.  I would have liked to have seen a bit more of how Darwin would have reacted to the finches and boobie birds - this was the area where the seed of an idea was planted, but very little attention was given to this part.
I did enjoy seeing an awkward Darwin in social settings while he was in England.  I could imagine him tucked away in a corner, praying for a swift end to the evening's frivolities.  And his courtship (or lack thereof) of his cousin also gave him a human side that we often forget when learning about men of science.
Overall, I would give this book a seven out of ten.  I found the content and situations intriguing, but the build up was a bit slow, and I would like to have more information from his time on the Beagle.