Review: A fresh and engaging "behind the scenes"-type book
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 10 4, 2013
Courtroom drama and domestic tribulations clash in this unusual and intriguing story about the life and times of Bill Maitland, a man of power--fictional, but the fact that people in his position can and do exist is made all too clear. Bill fights on a daily basis to prosecute criminals in horrendous cases while struggling with a divorce that apparently came about because he was so wrapped up in his work in the first place.Bill's job, his past, his family life, and his overall character come together to give us a protagonist who we can't help but root for even as he continually sets himself up for some fresh conflict. As for the other characters, they're a colorful bunch, if not quite as rounded. There's Bill's well-endowed wife who's gone through life being ogled by every male in sight and who can't seem to work out her mixed feelings toward Bill, her too-young-for-her successful stud of a boyfriend, a close friend who just happens to be a ruthless attorney known as "The Shark," a boss on the top floor who couldn't be more ominously powerful if he were stroking a white cat, and more. Everything in Bill's world is larger than life, and yet he is still a human being, capable of making mistakes and capable of being hurt.The characters' constant sexualization of each other does get a bit tiresome--Bill's first-person narrative perspective provides a quintessential "male gaze" every time a new female is introduced--but it just goes to show how precarious romantic attachments can be and how being desired can be a critical emotional factor even for someone already in a committed relationship.If you're looking for a high-stakes, engaging drama, give this book a try.