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A review by jarvvis
Alec: A Novel by William di Canzio
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
Damn this is literally about nothing!
Obviously this book had a lot to live up to (especially in my mind), but it really floundered. I didn’t dislike reading it, it’s well written and the characterisation is pretty good, but there’s not a whole lot one can get out of this. The bits at the beginning about Alec’s early life didn’t add a whole lot to his character, the parts rehashing Maurice are (obviously) predictable, the parts after are just sort of domestic fluff, then there’s the war, and while I love some World War One unfortunately it just didn’t hit. Their reunion is far too understated and then there’s this plot line tacked onto the end about Maurice’s sister having a baby by a married Indian man?? Quite random. There’s also this half-assed mysticism that permeates the novel, implications of ghosts and such - also very strange. There’s no connective tissue that makes the whole thing work: I think this book could have benefited from either deciding to engage with the novel Maurice wholly, and build on the ideas that crop up there, or be totally original. As it stands, this is truly less than the sum of its parts. To a happier year?
Obviously this book had a lot to live up to (especially in my mind), but it really floundered. I didn’t dislike reading it, it’s well written and the characterisation is pretty good, but there’s not a whole lot one can get out of this. The bits at the beginning about Alec’s early life didn’t add a whole lot to his character, the parts rehashing Maurice are (obviously) predictable, the parts after are just sort of domestic fluff, then there’s the war, and while I love some World War One unfortunately it just didn’t hit. Their reunion is far too understated and then there’s this plot line tacked onto the end about Maurice’s sister having a baby by a married Indian man?? Quite random. There’s also this half-assed mysticism that permeates the novel, implications of ghosts and such - also very strange. There’s no connective tissue that makes the whole thing work: I think this book could have benefited from either deciding to engage with the novel Maurice wholly, and build on the ideas that crop up there, or be totally original. As it stands, this is truly less than the sum of its parts. To a happier year?