White Lightning

Justin Cartwright

At the time of the meeting Bob hadn't quite finished this book but he has now. He still doesn't know what to make of it though. It's a relatively straightforward story of a middle-aged man looking back on his unsatisfactory life in London: as an intellectual film director forced by failure to shoot porno. rubbish and as the adulterous father of a son who dies whilst he sleeps with his mistress. He returns to his birthplace in South Africa to tend his dying mother and attempts to re-connect by taking on a farm and its resident baboon. Once the focus of the plot shifts to South Africa and gives up the early, multi-layered approach (in other words fragmented) the story gains momentum and cohesion. It's certainly written well even if he doesn't out-perform Martin Amis, as the dust-jacket comments claim. Quite good.
Bob 30/3/03

By the same author

Look at it This Way

The frames have gone all funny - click to make it good.