Title: Only Time Will Tell (/Spiel der Zeit)

Author: Jeffrey Archer

Pages: 528

Chapters: 56

Hi all,

Today I present you with a different kind of fiction book to what I have read before. Different in the way that there is a main storyline (surrounding Harry Clifton’s life story) and the chapters dedicated to different characters tell their story within that storyline.

It’s not complex to follow, so the reader merely adds a puzzle piece to the main storyline, as they read the chapters of the other characters.

This just shows quite well, that there is so much else that happens around us that we are simply not always aware of. People have their own lives and stories to tell and whilst reading this book, that was brought perfectly into perspective.

The book is broken down into the following chapters:

• Maisie Clifton 1919
  • Prelude (pg. 9 – 12)
• Harry Clifton 1920 – 1933
  • Chapter 1 – 10 (pg. 15 – 120)
• Maisie Clifton 1920 – 1936
  • Chapter 11 – 19 (pg. 123 – 209)
• Hugo Barrington 1921 – 1936
  • Chapter 20 – 26 (pg.213 – 277)
• Old Jack Tar 1925 – 1936
  • Chapter 27 – 34 (pg. 281 – 331)
• Giles Barrington 1936 – 1938
  • Chapter 35 – 43 (pg.335 – 407)
• Emma Barrington 1932 – 1939
  • Chapter 44 – 47 (pg.411 – 450)
• Harry Clifton 1939 – 1940
  • Chapter 48 – 56 (pg. 453 – 527)

Harry grows up in Bristol, England, and is attending a local public school, since his family is of the lower class. He doesn’t enjoy going to school but prefers to visit his friend Old Jack Tar, the security guard at the port where his father and uncle worked for the Barrington company.

His father has died under mysterious circumstances before he was born, but since early on he always thought he would one day join his uncle as a dock worker.

However, he is won over to join the church’s local choir where he discovers that he has a unique voice. In order to make the most of it, his mother, teachers and friend Jack Tar manage to convince him to put in more effort into school since he may have an opportunity one day to get a scholarship. He listens, puts in the time and successfully obtains a scholarship to attend a private middle school that is quite elite.

There, he makes two friends: Deakins and Giles (Barrington). They grow up together until they reach final year at which point they need to start consider which high school they will attend. Deakins manages to get in easily, since he had the best academic results. Harry doesn’t manage to secure a scholarship, yet he still manages to attend it as a paying scholar since his mother has started to work and made significant strides of improving both their lives. She only barely manages to pay the fee, since she also suffers a financial difficulty during the third year at high school.

Harry and Giles” sister, Emma, become better acquainted and in the final year of high school they make their feelings towards each other public to their friends and family.

After high school, Harry, Deakins and Giles all managed to secure spots at Oxford and study in their first year of uni. Harry and Emma decide to get engaged and even wish to marry. However, during Harry’s life, Giles’ father, Hugh Barrington, never acknowledged Harry and always showed him disrespect, whilst the family remained perplexed.

Finally on the day of their wedding, before the vows are to be exchanged, someone interjects the priest and their marriage cannot continue. The two families head to the sacristy, where Old Jack Tar explains why the two young individuals cannot get married, due to a lingering uncertainty of who Harry’s real father actually is.

In response, the Emma and her mother move to their grandfather’s estate in Scotland, whilst Harry decides he wants to get shipping experience before he will join the war between England and Germany, should it come to fruition. He joins a ship that transports cargo from England to America and learns all the skills of the fourth in command.

Unfortunately, the ultimatum issued by England to Germany was ignored and the two countries are officially at war. Germany starts to shoot down ships from England, amongst which are included Harry’s cargo ship.

However, he is rescued and the only survivor and recovers on an American passenger ship that was on its way back to the USA. Due to the dilemma back home he decides to take on the identity of one of his fallen shipmates, Tom Bradshaw, who was an American citizen and whose life story was a mystery to Harry. When they lay dock in New York enters local customs and is immediately taken into custody, since Tom Bradshaw is wanted for the charge of murder.

Summary:

The way the story is told (i.e. the different characters’ parallel life stories) is quite different from any other books I have read, but it is surprisingly more interesting, as we do not only follow the main story line, but are also taken deeper into the lives of the people around Harry. We can see how they perceive him and how they all aided in making his advance to the elite middle school possible for him.

Also, there is some piece of the story that we get to know from the start and which we always carry as we continue reading. It keeps the reader wondering whether Harry will eventually figure it out, or how could things possibly turn out badly.

The book is quite a lay back read and keeps the reader wanting to continue reading on. It receives a rating of 4.4/5.

Have a good Spring! 🙂

Link (German): https://amzn.to/4aAuofj

Link (English): https://amzn.to/4baIGn9