4 out of 4 stars
Share This Review
Small Change by Keddie Hughes is one of those novels where you just want to grab the main characters and shake them. Set in Glasgow, Izzy Campbell works as a volunteer for the Citizens Advice Bureau. Her last client fails to keep his appointment, but his brother, Sean Doctery, takes his place. Sean is a freelance reporter investigating the financial troubles of the Rangers' football (soccer for Americans) team. At this time her husband, Jim Campbell is involved in trying to finalize an agreement with the Rangers for his company. If completed, the agreement would be a huge feather in his cap. Izzy’s attraction to Sean pulls her away from her deteriorating marriage with Jim.
Izzy’s life is bounded by her family, Jim’s career, her volunteer work, and her studies for a degree in social work. Outside her world is the intense alcohol-fueled world of Glasgow football. This world has enthralled Jim. He seeks the deal with the Rangers as a capstone of his career within his company. The deal consumes Jim so much he fails to recognize the deterioration of their marriage. Jim relies on social drinking to smooth the way for the deal and to help him forget his failure to act in a deadly situation. A substory involves Jim fighting against recognizing the control alcohol asserts over his life. This story is told through short dialogues at the end of chapters between Jim and his therapist.
According to the postscript, the novel borrows from actual events including the liquidation of the Rangers Football Club. The alcoholism highlighted in the novel reflects a societal problem in Glasgow and Scotland. The Citizens Advice Bureau continues to effectively provide advice to millions of people in the U.K.
Keddie Hughes portrays Izzy and Jim with human frailties. The author shows how well-meaning people can make decisions that fracture a marriage due to outside forces. The third-person narration represents Izzy’s inner struggles well. Keddie Hughes lets the story unfold without preaching or moralizing. The characters prove surprisingly sympathetic despite their flaws and could well be neighbors. The novel is well-edited.
The novel unfolds with tensions growing out of the characters' struggles with alcoholism, relationships, and the vagaries of life. It explores people in the everyday world. The writing does not show off, but it takes the reader along respectfully through the lives of the two main characters. This novel is not for the reader who has a need for black and white moral divisions. It is for the reader aware of the ambiguities of life and the struggles people face in their short spans on this earth. I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. I could relate to the characters and their struggles even if I disagreed with their decisions.
******
Small Change
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Like jgraney8's review? Post a comment saying so!
