Review: Good writing with unfortunate false notes
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 04 15, 2014
This book employs an unusual technique; it has two first person narratives. As it turns out, this results in something like two books. Lily narrates (about forty percent of the book) a story of domestic arrangements, betrayal, flirtations, etc. Then her very wealthy parents die in an "accident" and her brother Simon appears to claim his inheritance.The next forty percent is Simon's story, his estrangement from the family. his fall through bad company and illegal activities into a desperate situation.I found Lily's narrative mildly interesting though somewhat cliched: rich girl, artistic boyfriend working on his masterpiece while living with her on her salary and in the house her father bought for her, etc. There were some touching moments when boyfriend is contrite and works on being forgiven.Simon's story is more related to the title. The author picks up the pace so that elements of a thriller appear. But Simon's indignation over aspects of his rescue and arguments with his rescuers seem to me to over-reach. It is a strain above all to the writer's otherwise smooth writing. It is a relief to turn to the final twenty percent of the book in which Simon declares to Lily his intention to do something worthwhile with his life.