Triangulation (novel)

Last updated
Triangulation
Triangulation (novel).jpg
First edition
Author Phil Whitaker
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish
Publisher Picador
Publication date
1999
Pages272
ISBN 978-0-312-20599-7

Triangulation is the second novel by English author Phil Whitaker it won the 2000 Encore Award, linked to the title of a love triangle between three young people's lives.

Contents

Plot

The frame story is set in 1997. After retirement from the Ordnance Survey, John Hopkins travels from his home in Southampton to Dunsop Bridge in Lancashire (thought to be the geographical centre of Britain) where his old flame Helen Gardner lives. The journey takes him over a day via train and then bus as he brings with him letters from his from his first job starting in 1957 working for the Directorate of Overseas Surveys at Tolworth in South West London. His colleague Laurance Wallace joined at the same time but was shortly sent out to Africa to help survey the landscape using theodolites and later tellurometers. John remained as a map curator in the Records Section and later the assistant of Brigadier Martin Hotine, where he found great satisfaction in his work.

Two years later Helen Gardner joins the organisation as a trainee cartographer and starts a low-level affair with John, but Helen wants more excitement in her life. Laurance's letters to John show the reality of his experiences in Africa so John shows Helen the letters from Laurance to tell her that life in Africa is a struggle. Helen finds that Laurance's stories capture her imagination; as using a stereoplotter she finds one of the locations frequented by Laurance. Every Summer, Laurance returns to live with John but then the relationship between Helen and John becomes strained as Helen and Laurance's relationship blossoms. In the end Helen travels to Africa to be with Laurance where they marry.

Reception

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References

  1. Guardian fiction Retrieved 20/11/2022.
  2. Publishers Weekly Retrieved 20/11/2022.
  3. 1 2 WHITAKER, Phil 1966- 20/11/2022.