Should We Fall Behind - Sharon Duggal

A beautifully written novel that shows up a mirror to life in the city. 

This is my second read from BlueMoose books and must say that I am beginning to have a soft corner for their titles. Should We Fall Behind by Sharon Duggal is an injection of hope and compassion into hard lives when both seem to be in short supply.

Disclaimer: I got this proof from the publisher in return for an honest review.

Gist:

Homeless Jimmy is on a lookout for his lost friend Betwa, and takes shelter in an abandoned, neglected car on a patch of disused land in Shifnal Road. His arrival affects the residents living on Shifnal road in different ways. Ebele is convinced he is about to kidnap her daughter Tuli, while Rayya sees him as a lost soul in need of nourishment.  

Is he out to create trouble or is he the catalyst that will make the residents examine their own lives?

What works:

• Shifnal Road could be any place in any urban landscape and yet Duggal makes the setting unique with her diverse cast of characters. 

• Every chapter is introduced through a character and in doing so the reader gets to know them well and their place in the plot -  the thread that pulls them all together. 

• Duggal paints a very realistic picture of life on the streets. It is cringeworthy, real yet evokes sympathy. She does a very good job of striking a fine balance between their harsh circumstances and the compassion that they deserve.

• This is definitely a character-led story and I felt deeply invested in them, especially as their backstory explained their actions.

• What stood out for me was the diverse background of the characters.  My favourite part of the novel is the conversation between Jimmy and Daban when they meet for the first time, sizing up each other through their origins and accents. That scene formed the crux of the novel - that origins didn't matter as long as you made peace with your identity.

What doesn't work:

This is a stark story about people who often tend to fall through the cracks. It is uncomfortable at times and yet Duggal gives her characters hope and optimism, instead of letting them disappear into the quicksand of bad luck and poverty.

Beautifully written and an eyeopening read.

The title is published by Bluemoosebooks and comes out on 22nd October 2020.  

Hamnet - Maggie O' Farrell

What is it about Shakespeare that draws us to his work? His works have been called overrated, or heavily "inspired" by other contemporaries and yet anything connected to the playwright is always lapped up with interest.  

His personal life has been the topic of much discussion too. All you need is a trip to the Shakespeare Museum in Stafford to see it on display. But Maggie O'Farrell does a great job of directing the spotlight on a lesser known character and does well in choosing a title that makes an instant connection with the playwright.

Right at the beginning of the book,  there is a historical fact at the outset which outlines what the book is about yet when the story unravels, it feels like the reader is lead on a fascinating journey with no idea of what will happen next.  

Gist:

The story is about Agnes who realises she is different from other girls at an young age. She falls in love with brothers' tutor, marriage to him seems like an escape her stepmother. She soon realises her husband is a man of words and she a child of nature. Unaware of the consequences, she urges her husband to go London, unknowingly pushing him towards  the arclights. 

Although they have nothing in common, they are bound together by a tragedy. They drift apart and deal with grief in their own way, until Agnes learns how their private grief has been made public in a way that only her husband can.

What works:

• The narrative is amazing, it draws you in and keeps you going as you follow the story in the past and the present, the narratives complement one another.  

• I enjoyed the fact that the story centres around Agnes, and O'Farrell has chosen to weave a tale around the much neglected wife of the playwright, a voice that deserves its due.

• There is a strong sense of place as O'Farrell describes Agnes' life in 15th century society with its lush green forests and way of life.

• It was commendable how she does not use Shakespeare's name even once. It shows a  brilliant display of her craft and her ability to be able to pull it off so competently.

• The sense of loss and the grief comes across strongly and you feel for the family as they all deal with it in their own way. 

What doesn't:

If you are the purist kind that prefers to stick to historical facts and is averse to fictional interpretation then perhaps this is not for you.

 

But if you like me, enjoy narratives that blend history into interesting stories then you will love this.