Review by Bookcool123 -- Small Change by Keddie Hughes

Bookcool123 · Post by **Bookcool123** » 03 Sep 2018, 12:36

[Following is a volunteer review of "Small Change" by Keddie Hughes.]

4 out of 4 stars

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“ Are you content with playing small, or do you want to play big? “. There is a challenging question directed to Izzy, the protagonist, by her friend Brigitte in the book titled Small Change by Keddie Hughes. It was the year 2011, Izzy Campbell, a Citizens Advice Bureau volunteer, met Sean Connor, a Catholic Journalist, submitting supporting financial documents in his brother’s stead. She felt an infatuation, or rather curiosity developed about this guy. In the middle of their conversation, Sean opens up about his brother’s shortcomings and the imminent financial downfall of the most successful team, the Glasgow Rangers Football Club. Apparently, Sean's latter dilemma rouses the interest of Izzy since the Glasgow Rangers Club have brokered a deal with Verisafe, a company specializing in alarm system installation, which her husband, Jim, is the current Managing Director. With this emotional uncertainty going inside her regarding her husband’s alcoholic behavior, her son Davy’s coming of age tendencies, the unwavering charismatic yet emotionally guarded personality of Sean, and the financial breakdown about to strike her family, Izzy took one small steps at a time to make a change through the rest of this book’s pages.

According to my own opinion, the author’s perspective of the individual characters is commendably decent in socioeconomic and sociopolitical ways. Meaning, she gives weight to the prevailing issues happening to each individual which shapes the course of the society or the environment they live in. At the same time, the interaction of this different characters put each one’s internal as well as external conflicts to either success or failure. To put it in a simple way, as stressed by the author through her characters, people get into a muddle because of bad choices they make. But there is a solution for this if that individual or the society as a whole takes the necessary steps to tidy it up. Izzy, her main character, is a smaller case which is in contrast with a bigger picture. That is the social turmoil currently happening in Glasgow.

In terms of socioeconomic, the author pinpoints the prevailing economic atmosphere in Glasgow, Scotland on the standpoint of Izzy. For instance, she was a concern about the level of education she has in store for her son, Davy. This reflects a person’s level of educational status’ impact or distribution in the progress of the economy within a given society. To put it in a simple way, finishing a higher level of education would land you a better and a high paying job.

In sociopolitical aspects, the author gives the reader an ample view of the prevailing political conditions in Scotland between Izzy and her friend Brigitte. Both have conflicting interest and opinion on the coming elections which gives the story another supporting backbone in the later pages.

The author, by all means, has a bird's eye view of sociology since she mentioned the book Steps to an Ecology of Mind by Gregory Bateson. She gives meaning and life to her protagonist and the other characters by how they interact with different individuals and amongst themselves regarding religion, varying cultures, political ideologies, education, alcoholism, sports, finance, marriage, etc., which can be seen in Glasgow, Scotland. As what the title says, such actions taken by the protagonist as well as the other characters have an effect on themselves and to society which is either success or failure.

I give this book a rate of 4 out of 4 stars. This encompasses every aspect of social strength and shortcomings of a society. Even the romantic side of this book as directed to the protagonist have a definite impact on the streams of society. Furthermore, the book is diligently written and edited. Lastly, this book is intended for mature readers. I would like to add that even people in the study of Social Sciences and its related branches might find this book appealing.

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Small Change
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