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A Word Glittering with Spikes by Nigel McClea (view source)
Revision as of 16:05, 29 January 2015
, 16:05, 29 January 2015no edit summary
|title=A Word Glittering with Spikes
|sort=Word Glittering With Spikes
|author=Nigel McLeaMcClea
|reviewer=Sue Magee
|genre=General Fiction
It is ''such'' a relief to meet leading characters who are not six foot three, blond and good looking - and that's before we get to the men. David are Bill are - well, I'd hesitate the use the word ''gormless'', but they're innocents abroad and sometimes you wonder if they should be allowed out without a responsible adult. Jenny was definitely on the rebound when she met David - she'd ''just'' been dumped by her boyfriend, but perhaps her expectations of him had been too high - and Charlotte is only just getting over the sudden death of both her parents and even her ferocious intelligence hasn't really enabled her to deal with men other than in the workplace.
Nigel McLea McClea has wisely stuck to what he knows best. In another life he was a solicitor and he's made three out of the four main characters either study or practice law and it's obvious that he's ''comfortable'' with what his characters are doing and saying - obvious too that he knows lots more which he ''could'' say, rather than cramming in every bit of research as far too many authors do. He obviously knows Leeds too. So do I - and he brings it to life perfectly.
It's a long, indulgent read. Everyone we meet has a story to tell, or - just occasionally - one they'd rather wasn't known and there's an elegant mirroring of circumstances and events between the two couples, which carries the story along nicely. If I've one quibble about the plot it's the occurrences of 'insta-love' between the couples - I much prefer that it develops steadily rather than at first sight. That's me being picky though.