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| Matador April 2016 |
Bobbie Sinclair’s feeling of
responsibility for her boyfriend's suicide is something she struggles to cope
with, and her only way of dealing with it is to fight against everything she
knows. She innocently assumes that her life can be blocked out by an unending progression
of one night stands, but leading a promiscuous life, in her home town of
Glasgow, brings her into contact with Michael Mitchell, an unscrupulous
manipulator, who takes Bobbie by the hand and leads her, imperceptibly, into
the dark and shady world of Glasgow’s criminal underclass.
The dark and gritty world which
Bobbie finds herself part of, both in Glasgow and later in London, evokes a realistic
edge to a story which moves along at a rollicking good pace. The late 1970s, a
time I know very well, comes alive, and the author's descriptions of time and
place are excellent, from the wearing of bright yellow jumpsuits, mine was
blue, to drinking abundant amounts of Blue Nun and cruising around the edge of
a Tiffany's nightclub dance floor, the detail was absolutely perfect.
Bobbie is a feisty protagonist, the
sheer strength of her personality carries the story very well, but she also has
a uniquely vulnerable edge which even though there are times when she is
exasperating, you can’t help but form a deep emotional attachment to her. The
other characters who flit into and out, add real depth to this dark and gritty
story. Michael is such a dangerous charmer, and yet he exudes a sensuous attraction
which hides just how dangerous a manipulator he is, and then there’s, Duncan, Bobbie’s friend who sticks with her throughout the whole sorry story.
The drama throughout Love's Long Road is
utterly believable, the attention to detail is excellent and the ending, when
it comes, is entirely appropriate. I really enjoyed it - it would make a great TV drama!!
Best Read with….chicken in a basket
and of course, copious glasses of luke warm, Blue Nun…
My thanks to the author for sharing this book with me
~***~
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