The Rules of Engagement [Hardcover]

Catherine Bush (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 2, 2000

A gripping novel of love and war, risk and responsibility

Arcadia Hearne is a war researcher, specializing in military intervention. But her immersion in contemporary war is offset by her refusal to put herself at risk, and by her insistence on keeping her past at bay.

Ten years earlier, in the mid-1980s, Arcadia had fled Toronto for London after two university students--rivals for her love--fought a pistol duel over her. Now, through the interventions of her sister, Lux, and her increasingly complicated relationship with a new lover, Amir, who has secrets of his own, Arcadia is forced to confront what really happened on the day of the duel.

Moving from the verdant ravines of Toronto to the secret canals of a gritty, vibrant London, The Rules of Engagement has an extraordinary sense of time and place. A powerful exploration of the nature of love, the novel provocatively explores the crossing of emotional, ethical, and literal borders.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Eloquent and thoughtful, Bush's second novel (after Minus Time) uses the twin motifs of war and intervention to explore the nature of trust, responsibility and personal risk. The protagonist, Arcadia Hearne, is a 31-year-old Canadian expatriate now residing in London, where she works for the Centre for Contemporary War Studies. Arcadia receives a visit from her younger sister, Lux, host of a world music show seen globally. Lux introduces her to Basra Alale, a beautiful Somalian refugee and songwriter, who in turn introduces Arcadia to Amir Barmour, an Iranian teacher/translator/print-shop-worker. As Arcadia enters into a cautious relationship with Amir, flashbacks reveal details of her past romances. We learn that during her college years in Toronto, Arcadia had two lovers: the passionate, nihilistic Evan Biederman and Neil Laurier, a free-spirited but pretentious philosophy student. When Arcadia leaves Evan for Neil, an embittered Evan challenges his rival to a duel. Inexplicably, the laid-back Neil accepts. Arcadia learns of her lovers' mad plans, but finds herself unable to bring herself to intervene. The duel goes ahead as planned, Neil is badly wounded and a grief-stricken Arcadia flees the country, intent on putting as much distance as possible between herself and the source of her guilt. In heavy-handed fashion, Bush draws provocative parallels between Arcadia's war-related work at the Centre and the more immediate violence that she has experienced in her own life. Although the novel is gracefully written, pensive and dignified, it is hurt by Arcadia's cool, often aloof personality, which prevents the reader from engaging emotionally with her. Consequently, what could have been a devastating look at the symbolic confluences of personal and global conflict never catches fire.
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

In the latest book from Bush (Minus Time), war researcher Arcadia Hearne and her sister Lux help a Somali woman, Basra Alale, escape from London to Toronto. As Arcadia passes money to Basra, she meets Amir Barmour, a friend of the woman. In the ensuing relationship that develops, Amir keeps some secrets, as does Arcadia: ten years ago in Toronto, two students fought a duel over her, one of whom has since died. Lux and Amir force Arcadia to confront her past, and, while on a brief return to Toronto, she is obliged to face her parents, whom she has not treated well. Arcadia matures and is able to reconcile with Amir when she returns to London. This novel, which deals affectingly with life, death, responsibility, and love, is highly recommended for all public libraries and most academic libraries."Ann Irvine, Montgomery Cty. Libs., MD
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 272 pages
• Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux; 1st edition (August 2, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0374252807
• ISBN-13: 978-0374252809
• Product Dimensions: 6 x 4 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,753,619 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This One Will Keep You Thinking, February 26, 2001

By 

Elizabeth Hendry (New Jersey USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Rules of Engagement (Hardcover)

The Rules of Engagement is a fabulous novel. Catherine Bush has given us a terrific story that will make you think about the nature of love and war, of bravery, cowardice and risk. Arcadia Hearne is a Toronto native living in self-imposed exile in London. As the novel unfolds, we learn, little by little, about why seh left, and what she has done in London. She left because two of her lovers had a duel over her. The pain of the consequences of the duel was too overwhelming for her, so she fled, escaping to London. Her story, and how she finally addresses her past and deals with issues in the present, is fascinating and well-told. Bush tells the story, plaing concepts of love and war against one another. It's wonderful food for thought. There is a revelation towards the end of the novel--almost blink and you've missed it--that you won't get out of your head. I highly recommend this one. Enjoy.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Reminiscent of Kundera, April 24, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: The Rules of Engagement (Hardcover)

In "The Rules of Engagement", Catherine Bush creates a near
flawless meditation of the nature of war and the nature of
love. Arcadia Hearne, the main character, flees from Canada (and two
lovers), then emigrates to England, where she excels at hiding from
the past, allowing only her sister and parents sporadic contact.

Over
the course of this novel, Arcadia has to come to terms with acts of
agression in both her personal life (a duel is fought over her) and in
her professional life (Arcadia works for the Centre for War
Studies). She also comes in to contact with a group which facilitates
escapes for African refugees. As she aids in facilitating these
refugees' flight, Arcadia is compelled to face her demons, and return
to Canada for the first time since her departure a decade
previously.

Bush is a masterful writer, with insights and meditations
of both love and war which are reminiscent of Milan Kundera's
"The Unbearable Lightness of Being" and
"Immortality." While the correlation between war and love is
present, Bush is skillful in not abusing the power of the metaphor
through overuse or heavy-handedness. Overall, the writing is fresh and
intelligent. The story is utterly believable, and Arcadia Hearne is an
incredible character. Through Arcadia's quirks, and the idiosyncracies
of the people in her life, these people come to life in their own
unique way.

This is an incredibly intelligent novel, and a highly
enjoyable read. If you like Milan Kundera's early novels, you will
definitely enjoy "The Rules of Engagement."

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating and elegant, December 23, 2000

By 

Matthew Cheney (New Hampton, NH USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Rules of Engagement (Hardcover)

The Rules of Engagement is a fine novel, written in icily beautiful language, precise in its observations and the psychological development of its narrator, Arcadia Hearne. It's also a lot of fun to read.

Bush's use of war metaphors to develop a love story may seem a bit obvious once the set-up becomes clear, but at the same time it's all odd enough to stay consistently interesting, and none of the conclusions hit you over the head. To the novel's credit, the information about world conflicts and War Studies (Arcadia's area of expertise) doesn't exist only to be a metaphor -- it has tremendous significance in the narrative itself, and lends the everyday events of the story a global perspective. This is a tremendously worldly book, a book which expects an intelligent and aware reader, but which is never oblique or obtuse.

The story of Arcadia's past is handled deftly and woven into the present-day events with great skill. As the past and present converge, the novel becomes truly exciting -- it's fun to try to second-guess Bush and figure out where everything is leading, as in a mystery story. But here, the mystery and suspense lies not so much in the plot as in the character, for by the end we have come to care about Arcadia and her fate.