Equivocal Destines by Raymond Clarke

Posted April 7, 2015

The first page of this book made me laugh, in just one paragraph and a sentence, Taal’s character jumped off the page. Sixteen years old and employed to tend a field full of crops, he’s doing what anyone would do in a dreary, dead-end job – he’s daydreaming. What made me laugh, however, was the way he scolded himself for doing it and then heads straight back to his thoughts.

Equivocal Destines is told in the third person, and the standard of writing is exceptional. You can really ‘hear’ Taal’s voice as his thoughts battle on between dreams and responsibility.

Turning the page brings an introduction to the landscape, but the story doesn’t stop while this information is provided. Taal’s perception of facts, an introduction to his friend and a brief hint to events that feature later in the book makes it interesting reading.  The writing is descriptive, but every sentence moves the story forward as action, backstory and characterisations are revealed at a balanced pace.

Despite intending to only read a few pages to assess it, I found myself at the end of the sample before I realised it, and have since gone on to buy the book to read in full.

[goodreviews isbn=”B00SZ63XY6″ buyinfo=”off” bookinfo=”off”]


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