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Two sisters, two nuclear power stations, one child caught in the middle...
The Half-life of Snails
By Philippa Holloway
Nuclear power often gets placed within the extraterrestrial, a buzz word in a news item, a debate in a science lesson, or just focussing on the cartoonish glowing green hue of its toxicity.
The Chernobyl Exclusion Zone in recent years has become more and more popular amongst the curiosity of dark tourists, as well as being used as an omen warning of the devastating impact that humans can have on our environment. Empty classrooms and the yellow carousel serve as a stark reminder that these were once people’s homes. However, the deserted landscapes often omit the stories of their previous residents. In her debut novel The Half-life of Snails, Philippa Holloway uses the power of these landscapes to bring life to her characters, demonstrating what could be learnt from their trauma and the loss suffered within these catastrophic events.
The Half-life of Snails follows the narratives of two sisters, Helen and Jennifer. A bond that has been intertwined and tested by the looming Wylfa Power Station that marked their childhood on Anglesey.
Helen is a self-taught prepper and a single mother to nuclear power station on the coast of Anglesey. Jennifer works for the nuclear industry and welcomes the boosts to employment and the local economy. When Helen has to travel to the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone to research her campaign to oppose the nuclear plans, Jack is left with Jennifer for the first time. With both sisters out
of their routines and in new territory, both literally and metaphorically, they must face up to their fears and discover the long-lasting impact of their actions.
Philippa Holloway is a writer and senior lecturer at Staffordshire University. During research for her PhD, which examined nuclear psychogeography, Philippa visited the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone. Her extensive research has shaped her novel and grounded her work in exploring the relationship between the land around us and our sense of belonging.
