Thoughts at the half way point of All Quiet on the Orient Express

There is a an ominous sense that what starts out as a camper deciding to stay on and carry out a few odd jobs is moving towards something much darker.

We all recognise the sense that without resolve our lives can be controlled by others and so it seems is happening to a camper who decides to stay on in a lakeside campsite after the other holiday makers have gone. As the season ends the lone tourist finds himself being dragged more and more into the small lakeside community.

The farmer who owns the campsite seems to be the one propelling him into not only extending his stay but also into getting committed to carrying out an ever longer list of jobs after his attempt to leave fails because of rain flooding his motorbike engine.

Despite the sense of danger you can feel as a reader the main character seems happy enough allowing himself to be dragged back to the farm and ever deeper in debt to Mr Parker the farmer in charge.

More soon…