'Rough Music' by Patrick Gale

I am reading much more this term but not recording it anywhere, as Bill's space seems to have lapsed into disuse. So in future I will write it here instead.

Yesterday I finished Rough Music by Patrick Gale at a gallop, partly because it was due back today and I didn't want to renew it, and partly because he belatedly gets into his stride and I just wanted to read on. It didn't grab me as quickly as some of his novels (A Sweet Obscurity and The Facts of Life, for example) but is just as acutely observed.

There are two storylines, one with the hero as a child and the other as an adult. The chapters alternate between the two and are headed with the name of the house the action takes place in. More confusingly, the hero also has different names, but I won't reveal more! Part of the action takes place in a village called Polcamel, which I am guessing is probably Polzeath.

Gale is really good at portraying relationships between family and friends, especially the little niggles that dog all relationships. He conveys this in excellent dialogue. He's also very good at writing believably about sexual attraction.

I see that he has another novel coming out this summer. It is set partly in Penzance, about the life of a female artist - definitely one to look out for in paperback.