A trip down memory lane or a dead end?
This debut novel came with glowing endorsements from authors already admired by the Hussies such as Rachel Joyce, ' The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry' Nathan Filer author of 'The Shock of the Fall' and the wonderful Paula Hawkins creator of the tense thriller 'Girl on the Train'. Could we take them at their word? was this a gripping tale, a delight, a page turner?
Set in 1976, a summer that those over 45 will remember fondly as the hottest summer ever, an idyllic time of innocence, long lazy days filled with orange squash and chocolate digestives, ahh I'm back there already. The opening chapter of the novel got off to a flying start with the introduction of Remington, the overweight family Labrador, what all good childhoods are made of! Many references to 70's favourites like Penguin and Club biscuits, Angel Delight and dandelion and burdock tried valiantly to evoke a bygone age, however this began to seem like a clumsy creative writing tool that failed in its attempt to transport the reader back in time. It also sparked lots of debate about iconic products of the time and questions over the authenticity of the main characters names. 'Grace, Tilly, really? in 1976?
At the heart of the novel are the attempts of two young girls to find God and thus solve the mystery of the disappearance on Mrs Creasy. A helpful map of 'The Avenue' where the plot unfolds shows the reader where all the main characters live, essential as there are so many characters, that its easy to become confused. Unfortunately the characters were not well developed and are a homogenous group of bland people. Clearly a dark secret unites all the residents of The Avenue and so the plot switches between present day 1976 and an incident that occurred ten years earlier. The girl's quest to find the truth is interwoven with issues of child health, peer pressure, autism, dementia and adult relationships.
The strange appearance of the face of Jesus Christ on a drain pipe gave the novel an odd and quite unexplained twist. At times the author seemed to be preaching at the reader, bemoaning the attitudes of white middle class people of the 1970's. The author seems to have thrown everything into this novel barring the kitchen sink! Promising plot lines were lost or left unresolved, perhaps having fallen victim to the creative writing mantra 'show don't tell'. Too many metaphors and similes, loose plotting and so much going on that the pace of the novel suffered. A whodunnit that left the reader wondering who did it and what did they do?
So not an all round thumbs up from 'The Hussies' but we will keep our eyes open for Joanna Cannon's next novel as she definitely has potential. Certainly not a page turner but perhaps Paula Hawkin's description was most accurate, it certainly was 'quirky' and at times 'moving'. Could be worth a second reading to get to grips with the meaning behind what seemed to be 'the second coming'.
Our discussion of 'The Trouble with Goats and Sheep' took place in The Plough near Stamfordham.
Unlike the book, this venue was an all round hit, great food, good service, lovely atmosphere and
all at a reasonable price. Certainly on the list for a return visit.
Our summer holiday read is 'One Hundred Days of Happiness' by Fausto Brizzi
