Mr. Chris Blamires

I was lucky enough to get this book as a members' giveaway. I started it, but didn't get very far before other things got in the way, and it got put aside. Then a couple of weeks ago I was going on a train journey and needed something to read, and it seemed just the thing. Due to cancellations my two hour train journey lasted four hours, and by the time I arrived at my destination I was totally gripped - couldn't wait to make the return journey so I could get back to reading it!
The story is multi-layered. The main characters are five young people who meet up in the heady days of love, peace, drugs and rock & roll that was the 60s. Woodstock is the Garden of Eden, and these five are free spirits who inhabit it. But just as in the Garden of Eden, there is a serpent in their midst, an insidious character who has the power to disrupt and corrupt. And each of the five carries as well their own inner demons. Catapulted out of paradise – the place, the time and the state of mind - we find them struggling to survive in the dreary days of the 80s, each escaping into their own private world of drink, drugs, commercialism and poverty, trying to atone for the failure that led to their banishment. In a way these characters are archetypes destined to play out the roles laid out for them, making choices that lead them deeper and deeper into a mythical labyrinth. Or they could just be kids who had a great time in the hedonistic 60s and then had to grow up and face reality.
The book captures the essence of the 60s, and contrasts it sharply with the impoverishment and selfishness of the 80s. It is liberally sprinkled with nuggets of philosophy, but never too much. It is beautifully written, and though it leaves many questions unanswered, in the end it doesn't really matter. The main characters are fully human, strong and vulnerable, flawed, mostly likeable, sometimes frustrating. And it ends on a note of hope and redemption.… (mehr)

I didn't like the beginning of this book but I pressed on because I received a free copy in exchange for a review.

The writing itself isn't bad and the story does have substance - well plotted and developed themes that capture the essence of the 60s and the decade's continued effects on the world up until the 80s, with many implications pointing to events happening today. The mystery was drawn out through the entire book, with readers guessing pieces at a time. I knew what was in store for Jo, but it was a decoy throwing me off the scent. I'm not giving away anything else; just keep in mind that there is another plot thread being woven that's really easy to overlook.

The story started slowly and didn't hook me until right before page 100. All the info given in the first 100-pages is necessary to the story but could be repositioned to keep people reading beyond those first few pages.

There are a couple of editing issues - I don't know if they are from ePub formatting or if they're intentional. The overuse of the ellipses drove me bonkers and I suspect it's an issue with digital versions… (mehr)