This debut novel by Charlie Roy is about memories, relationships and a reconciliation with the past. All these themes are well woven in
a compelling story narraited by the protagnist Tam who turns to family secrets as she tries to overcome grief and guilt.
Gist:
Tam is a young woman with a troubled childhood who finds her brother's body and as means of coming to terms with the loss, embarks on a journey to set the past straight.
As her mind goes back in time, it opens doors to a
turbulent childhood filled with an alcoholic father, a suddenly disappearing mother and a grandma, Nana who inadequately fills the gap for the kids.
- As the story unfolds, our hearts go out to the constantly cleaning Tam and the deviant little Nick as they battle their father’s unpredictable behaviour and short bursts of their grandma’s affection. It is heart breaking to see these young children grow up in an atmosphere that reflects on how not every child gets the love it deserves. The reader feels empathy for them and credit to Roy for telling the story through different perspective and unreliable memories.
- The characters are
beautifully drawn and although some of their actions are questionable - Mick's behaviour as a manifestation of wrong choices or Nana, who deals with the situation in
the only way she knows, the story unravels beautifully oscillating
between the past and the present.
- It is atmospheric in the way that the reader can almost feel
the children's dread when they hear their dad walk in, bracing for what could possibly happen.
- Just when the narrative begins to get predictable, the focus shifts to a new direction. It turns into a reflection of how a certain time
period influences choices and also the tendency to remember people as we perceive them and not
as they are. It is an incisive insight and the ending makes for a satiating experience.
Summing it up:
An evocative narrative with relatable characters. Heartbreaking and uplifting at the same time.
No comments:
Post a Comment