As it traces the tragic experience of a young child in the midst of a World War, Ballard utilises such a plot to explore the youthful wonder in a landscape filled with tragedy and almost absolute suffering. Through the eyes of Jim, Ballard navigates his readers to a road of soul-searching, hoping to gain clarity on his sole purpose within such a radically changed environment, always in search of a role model to shape his ambitions, loyalties, and values.

The reach that Ballard attempts to grasp is admirable, at times even engaging, but his approach in storytelling feels dry with its descriptions lacking in vividness and specificity, and the drama that churns within our protagonist feels half-baked. There seems to be an intention to look at the events from a larger point of view, close but not within Jim's perspective. That being said, it is the necessity for further intimacy with the protagonist that would have proven crucial in highlighting the personalised experience that such a narrative was trying to share.

Momentum and my general impression did show an improvement as the novel moved along, as familiarity with all of the secondary characters and their relationship with Jim became further established. However, in the end, I still feel that Ballard had led me to all of these moments and experiences but showed me actually very little.