Artifacts or artefacts? (Artifacts - Mary Anna Evans)

Member Name: sunmeilan

Product:	Artifacts - Mary Anna Evans
Date:	05/01/08 (114 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Refreshingly different, fascinating insight into archaeology and race relations

Disadvantages: A slow-burner thriller-wise

Faye Longchamp is lucky in one sense; she has a beautiful ancestral home on an island off the Florida coast that was passed down to her from her great-great-grandmother Cally, a former slave. The only problems is that she can't afford its upkeep and is in danger of losing it to property developers. Already she is forced to eke out her existence by 'pothunting' - illegally searching for artefacts that she can sell to collectors. It is through pothunting that she finds the shattered skull of a woman who has clearly been in the earth for some years. Research shows that it is the missing body of a young girl who went missing forty years ago. But if Faye tells the police, her illegal pothunting will come to life. Can she find out who murdered the girl all those years ago without involving the police? Will she be able to save her home?

Before I go on, please note that artifacts can be spelt with either an i or an e (artefacts) - this confused me to begin with. Apparently both are correct and refer to an object that is carved or shaped in some way by human craft and is of archaeological or historical interest. Artifact tends to be the American spelling, whereas we Brits prefer artefact - I will therefore use the British spelling unless referring to the title of the book.

I immediately liked Faye Longchamp as a character. Of mixed blood, she has never quite fitted in anywhere - even in twenty-first century Florida, blacks and whites tend to keep to themselves and there is no room for Faye. As such, she has grown up into a very independent woman who is reliant on her own company except for a very select few. Despite this, her pride in her family's history is very apparent and her determination to keep her ancestral home is really touching, even if it involves the illegal finding of artefacts. Perhaps because, like her, I tend to keep myself to myself, she really struck a chord with me and because of this, I really wanted to know what was going to happen to her next. Faye is a really well-thought out character, particularly for a first author, and one of which I would gladly see more.

Although he is very aloof and we are not given a huge insight into his personality, I also liked Joe, a native American who is one of Faye's only friends. He sees the world in a very black and white way - he senses that Faye is good and is therefore content to spend time with her, whereas he distrusts the vast majority of people, preferring to live under the skies and keep his own company most of the time. I was attracted to his simple outlook on life and his belief in Faye and again, I would be happy to follow his story if he appears in future books.

I found this book in the crime fiction section of my local library, and, used to American thrillers such as those by P J Tracey and Karin Slaughter, I was expecting this one to be the same. However, the pace is much slower; it is not the sort of book that you cannot put down, it is more a gentle read over a few days. Murder is one of the central storylines, but there is a sense that there is no rush, even when more murders are committed. I liked this more laid-back approach and felt that it suited the story very well, allowing time for the development of characters and Faye's personal predicament.

I found reading about the archaeological and social history of the Florida coast very interesting. There is limited information about the author's background given in the book, but I wouldn't be surprised if her own family history was very similar to that of Faye's because it all seemed so naturally described. The idea of the racial divide that still exists today is shocking, but nevertheless fascinating, especially when seen from Faye's point of view.

The book is written very clearly, with few big words, and certain terms that refer to the archaeological profession are well-explained. Despite the use of clear language, the descriptions are vivid, particularly those that refer to the house Faye is trying so hard to keep in the family. This includes details such as the windows, the wallpaper, the layout of the outbuildings and the staircase and really made it seem real. The excellent cover of the book, depicting a house from the era, also helped with this and was the reason I picked up the book in the first place.

All in all, I found this a very refreshing read - it is certainly different from the average work of crime fiction and indeed most fiction in general. For a first book, it is admirable - and although I wouldn't call it a masterpiece, Mary Anna Evans has whetted my appetite enough to want to read more of her work. If you want a fast-paced murder mystery, you'll be disappointed with this, otherwise I can recommend it to nearly anyone, regardless of age and sex.

Artifacts is available from play.com for £7.49. Published by Poisoned Pen Press, it has 172 pages. ISBN: 9781590581803.

Summary: Not your average crime fiction