Author: Craig Higginson
Pages: 216
Published: February 2010
ISBN: 9781770101814
It’s Summer at the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford-upon-Avon. A young assistant director, Thomas, is desperately in love with the lead actress, Lucy, in the play The Tempest.
Their lives become entwined with the Head Director, Harry, an exiled South African with a haunted past. These are ingredients for a perfect tortured love story, but with Craig’s poignant writing and seamless story-telling, you will be taken on a journey to that ill-fated summer in Stratford-upon-Avon.
This book is something new and wonderfully written, but begins to fall short of something brilliant. I would advise read it for the writing but other than that…
I give it 3 out of 10.
Advertisement
It is great to see that a South African writer, living in South Africa, has broken from the tradition that one must then write about the country and its politics. The cover certainly attracts the reader, apart from reflecting the obvious setting, it gives one the impression that the book will be quite sedate in its dramatics.
I could not put the book down in the first few chapters. The reader isn’t too sure whether to sympathise with or scorn the love-sick Thomas and Lucy’s arrogance tends to make her a one-dimensional character at times. Saying that, learning about the different characters and the way they handle love, loss and life makes for a modern-day play.
Craig Higginson has a great talent for words, allowing his simple words to captivate. I recommend reading this book, but stop at the last three chapters to avoid empty disappointment.
I loved the book and also couldn’t put it down. Craig Higginson is definitely a writer to watch. It reminded me of Iris Murdoch at her best – but had a lightness and simplicity, with a great deal to reflect on afterwards. Really recommended for all readers!