The Third Twin, by Dani Sinclair, Reviewed

This is a Mills and Boon Silhouette, ‘Intrigue’ romance. That probably means a lot to those who read these books regularly. As a writer, and a bloke, I read this one to see whether it was a genre I could write. So, bear all that in mind as you read this review.

It is, of course, a love story. But it’s also a lot more. The element of crime is strong, as are the elements of family and social injustice. A lot of readers condemn these books out of hand, assuming they’re poorly written and formulaic. I found this to be neither of those things.

There is suspense, mystery, tension, both sexual and general, and there is, of course, a burgeoning romance. It’s this final element that’s formulaic. The reader understands that the two main protagonists are destined for each other and recognises the barriers placed for them to cross in order to arrive at the essential happy ending (no, I don’t think that’s a spoiler: a romance of this nature has a happy ending; they all do).

As for the writing? It’s tense where it should be, description isn’t overdone, the action scenes are well handled and the relationships, complex and multi-faceted, are presented cleverly. I found the plot a little over-cooked and the author seemed to have found herself in something of a maze, if the denouement narrative is a guide. The ending reminded me a bit of Agatha Christie’s Poirot and his habit of describing his method of detection to the gathered guilty and innocent.

For me, character is the most important factor in a book. The individuals who people these pages are well drawn and various. That they can be slotted into various stereotypes is inevitable, given the narrow guidelines determined by the publishers, but that doesn’t prevent these particular players from being real people. I enjoyed the strong female lead and the object of her desire fitted in well with her hopes with enough potential flaws to make the reader wonder just enough. The minor players were also well constructed.

There is inevitably, given the specifics set by the publishers, rather more telling than showing than is good for the book. And some of the twists and turns seem to have been inserted ‘on the hoof’ rather than planned; but I can hardly complain at that, since I do it all the time myself.

But, in spite of its intended female readership and the slant it must take for such an audience, I enjoyed the read and found it largely satisfying. For those who care, there remains an unanswered question, of course. The answer is that I have already written a book containing much of what we find here, but I couldn’t write for this specific genre. It’s too confined and controlled for the way I write. But that’s not a reflection of the ability of this author; she’s worked within the constraints admirably and turned out a pretty good read that, I imagine, will sit very happily with those who more regularly read this type of fiction.

So, if you enjoy your romance with intrigue, mystery and some threat facing the heroine, you’ll get good value and plenty of entertainment from this one. Give it a go.

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Bristol Short Story Prize Anthology Vol 4, Reviewed.

Collections are often a mix of good with poor, but this anthology of prize-winners and near misses is

actually quite consistent in terms of quality. It features the top 3 prize-winning stories along with 17 shortlisted entries to the 2011 contest. As an entertainment, it provides a series of interesting reads.

There are a few too many urban grit stories for my personal tastes, but that doesn’t detract from the overall quality of the offering. Interestingly, many of the stories are written in the present tense, a technique that lends urgency and immediacy to the tales.

Just one of the stories (I won’t name it) was disappointingly peppered with typos and grammatical errors, but one out of twenty is pretty good, I suppose. It does, however, cause the reader to wonder why it made the short list. In general terms, the selection does give some idea of what judges might be looking for when faced with selecting winners for short story competitions. Unfortunately, such hints are notoriously unreliable, since each set of judges seems to have its own ideas of what is or isn’t desirable in short fiction. And even the same judge can change opinion from contest to contest, so very little help to be found by reading the winners.

For the writer who may want guidance about such entries, however, it is clear from the anthology that a degree of literary merit is valued over formulaic or genre specific approaches. Good use of language, well-developed characters and interesting themes seem to win over plot-driven and fast action tales.

In spite of the lean towards urban grit and present tense, I enjoyed this collection and happily recommend it.

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That Awkward Age, by Roger McGough, Reviewed.

Brilliant! A poet with heart, soul and real wit. A poet who actually wants readers to be entertained and who understands that obscure composition acts against comprehension. Poetry is, after all, a means of communicating ideas as well as emotions, passions and impressions. 

Not generally a poetry reader, I came across this as a result of a comment made on my earlier review of Dylan Thomas’ Under Milk Wood. And I’m so glad I was introduced to it. It made me laugh, sigh, wonder and think. But, more importantly from a personal point of view, it inspired me to have a go at writing poetry; something I’ve dabbled in rarely but will now look at as a means of expressing ideas about those things that arouse passion in me.

If you’re a poetry lover, this will be for you, unless you prefer those obscure verses that require the reader to possess much esoteric knowledge or perform psychic interpretation of otherwise meaningless strings of words.

If, like me, you’ve tended to avoid poetry as inaccessible or irrelevant, then I urge you to sample this volume. It will change your mind and show you what can be achieved by a fluid and fertile mind responding to everyday events in terms that are expressive, clever, funny, touching, deeply observant and, most of all, accessible. Thoroughly recommended. Loved it!

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The Unheard I, by Kiriti Sengupta, Reviewed.

This short piece of esoteric literature came my way via contacts on Facebook. The book is divided into three sections: A Serious ToF (Twist of Fate); Yogic Poetry: the Indian Heritage; The Translator ‘I’. So, I think you will realise this is not a work of interest to what might be called the ‘common reader’. It is a scholarly piece that will appeal to those with an interest in poetry, particularly spiritual poetry expressed as literature, as well as those who have a leaning toward or a significant interest in Indian myth and religion.

The Twist of Fate referred to above is an anthology of pieces collected together to present to readers as a way of gathering funds to help those left in distress by the tornado that hit Oklahoma in May 2013. And this first chapter of the book is a presentation of the author’s experiences in contributing to that anthology.

Poetry, let alone Yogic Poetry, is a genre of which I have little experience. My admiration of the craft lies within the bounds of the variety of works produced by the two Dylans (Bob and Thomas). And my knowledge of Indian culture is minimal. So, I found this section both illuminating and confusing. The many references to the Yogic culture were lost on me, but the general sense of spirituality came through.

The Translator ‘I’ deals with the author’s work and attitudes regarding translation as a craft. He is an acknowledged translator of work from Bengali to English. I’m no linguist, but I have always admired the skill that allows those who understand more than one language to translate not just words but meaning. The ability to convey the essence of a piece written in one language when converting it into another is almost magical to me.

So, not a general reader’s book, but a piece of work that will undoubtedly find favour with those interested in the subject matter discussed. It is to those readers that I recommend the book.

The book is currently only available via Smashwords; link here.

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The Rescued Heart, by Madeleine McDonald, Reviewed

Madeleine McDonald’s The Rescued Heart is a good old-fashioned romance, set in modern times in

Switzerland and Edinburg. The story deals with the burgeoning romance between Ellen, a Scottish widow and Christian, a Swiss artist, with the banker, Philip, as the villain. It’s a romance and therefore written with a female readership in mind, since that’s what the publishers of romantic novels expect of their authors.

So, what’s an ancient male doing reading such a book? Well, for a start, I’m just an old romantic. And, secondly, as a writer who enjoys incorporating romance into his own books, it’s helpful to know what readers expect.

Those familiar with my reviews will know that the most important element for me is character. Here we have two main protagonists and one antagonist. All three are skilfully drawn and I easily formed empathy with both Ellen and Christian, whilst quickly disliking Philip. So, it became a book I wanted to read on from the earliest pages. The ancillary characters, principally Ellen’s teenage daughter and son, are drawn with as much care and skilful observation as the main three.

The story takes a number of unexpected twists as it travels through the contemporary landscape of the Swiss art festival and the more familiar countryside of the Scottish family. There are lovely contrasts between the staid and the spontaneous. And there is building tension in the relationship between Ellen and her erstwhile friend, Philip, as his real personality and motives are revealed. Christian is a true artist, with all the freedom of spirit that entails. Further complications are introduced through the appearance and attitudes of the children.

In romantic fiction, true love never runs smooth and this tale has its fair share of ups, downs, twists and turns. There are threads of tension that build toward the very satisfactory denouement, encouraging the reader to read on. This is a book that makes you want to read to the end. Modern romance often seems to be a euphemism for erotica. Not so in this case. Whilst there are sensuous elements, all that happens in the bedroom remains hinted at rather than explicitly displayed.

So, this is a love story, involving mature lovers who find themselves brought together in unexpected circumstances and who fall in love in the most natural way. I found myself rooting for Ellen, whilst feeling frustration at her doubts and insecurities. I wanted Christian to win the day with her and I wished Philip out of Ellen’s life. Were my wishes fulfilled? You’ll have to read the book to find that out.

I enjoyed the read and loved the descriptions of the locations; places I’ve never visited in fact but that I could see as I travelled with the lovers. Madeleine is a gifted writer and she tells a great story. If you like your romance to deal with love and the trials that lead that love across the barriers of real life, you’ll enjoy this book. I thoroughly recommend it.