Review: 'A Terrific Achievement.'
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 05 28, 2014
I read Bev Spicer’s novel, ‘Bunny on a Bike’ a year ago and enjoyed it enormously. It was light, frothy and funny.‘My Grandfather’s Eyes’ is none of the above.This novel is a first person, present tense narrative – difficult at the best of times - dealing with the innermost thoughts and motivations of a woman, Alex, denied her friend Lizzie, whom she desires with an overwhelming passion, and settling instead for a husband she can tolerate and occasionally like. It’s dark, but not in an overtly horrific sense, although it does have its nightmare moments. What is most impressive about this book is the way in which the author effortlessly immerses the reader in Alex’s skewed world with a certain compulsive intensity.Throughout, there is a brooding sense of unbalance, of madness, in the actions and thoughts of the protagonist, but is she insane? Is passion a form of madness? The shifting patterns of her relationships, the fixity of her obsession with the primary object of her affections is not completely ‘normal’, but her feelings reminded me of the powerful feelings I had about a totally unsuitable girl when I was fourteen. I grew out of those feelings, but our protagonist does not and whether that says her feelings are true love or psychosis is for the reader to decide. One event in the book perhaps points to the latter, but I won’t spoil it.However, this is not solely a narrative about the relationship between Alex and Lizzie. There are shocking secrets to be uncovered too and I won’t spoil them, either!‘My Grandfather’s Eyes’ is an adult, psychological suspense story, written in a masterful, unforced style by an author who writes powerfully about the hidden desires human beings may harbor, despite their unattainability. For me, it was difficult to get into initially, probably because I was hung up on the author’s previous work and expecting a few wry sitcom moments, but I’m glad I persisted – it is a wonderful work of readable ‘literature’ and a terrific achievement. It deserves every one of the five stars I have no hesitation in awarding. I hope the author writes more works with the same insights into human nature.Recommended.