Review by takundwa12_3 -- Duplicity by Fin C Gray
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takundwa12_3
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Review by takundwa12_3 -- Duplicity by Fin C Gray
[Following is a volunteer review of "Duplicity" by Fin C Gray.]
Duplicity, published in 2019 is the first novel by Fin C Gray. The novel revolves around the McIntyre family.
Duplicity's opening scene is that of a terrorist attack on a train in London and the reader is introduced to one of the major characters Daniel McIntyre. The novel delves into the backstory that leads up to the terrorist attack and takes the reader through the life of Daniel McIntyre who suffers sexual abuse as a child which leads to conflict later in life. Daniel's father, Tom McIntyre, is an alcoholic and though he appears to have a happy marriage to Alison McIntyre; he is gay and cheats on his wife with other men. Apart from Daniel, Tom has a daughter Jenny. Tom’s struggle with alcohol and his serial infidelity is a source of tension in the McIntyre household and his desire to succeed professionally distances him from his children. When Alison dies from cancer, the chasm widens between Tom and his two children Daniel and Alison who blame him for the loss of their mother.
The novel tackles themes like childhood trauma, sexuality and loss. Sexual abuse and bereavement play a major part in shaping Daniel into becoming the villain that he becomes later in life. His father Tom struggle with alcohol abuse and his constant infidelity distances him from his family, which leads to more drinking and shame. It is a thriller about redemption and Fin C Gray does a good job of showing how Tom struggles to reconcile his past actions with their consequences. He is a character who feels that he made a Faustian pact with the devil and he watches hopelessly as he losses touch with his children. It is also a tragic story because, through most of the novel, it does not seem like there will be redemption for Tom, let alone for Daniel who finds it difficult to deal with the loss of his mother.
I enjoyed the novel; It is fast-paced and it has short chapters. The timeline alternates from present to past and the author zones into McIntyre family giving depth to the characters. I would have loved to see more of Jenny McIntyre throughout the book; she does play a major close to the end of the book but I think of all the characters she has the least depth. I am giving the novel 3 out of 4 stars. It appears to be professionally edited and it does not have many visible errors.
The story is coherent and the author creates suspense throughout the book, starting from the first scene right till the end. By the end of the book, all the pieces fall in place and this makes it enjoyable to read. Duplicity will appeal to lovers of action thrillers that also have a domestic element since it is premised around the family unit.
What I did not like about the book were some of the disturbing scenes concerning child abuse. The author did not make any of the characters likeable which made it harder for me to root for any of them. Tom is a cheating alcoholic and even though Daniel goes through a lot of hardship growing up, it is difficult to sympathize with him and his actions later in life. The novel also contains profanity, sexual scenes and description of acts of violence which does not make it suitable for young readers.
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Duplicity
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Duplicity, published in 2019 is the first novel by Fin C Gray. The novel revolves around the McIntyre family.
Duplicity's opening scene is that of a terrorist attack on a train in London and the reader is introduced to one of the major characters Daniel McIntyre. The novel delves into the backstory that leads up to the terrorist attack and takes the reader through the life of Daniel McIntyre who suffers sexual abuse as a child which leads to conflict later in life. Daniel's father, Tom McIntyre, is an alcoholic and though he appears to have a happy marriage to Alison McIntyre; he is gay and cheats on his wife with other men. Apart from Daniel, Tom has a daughter Jenny. Tom’s struggle with alcohol and his serial infidelity is a source of tension in the McIntyre household and his desire to succeed professionally distances him from his children. When Alison dies from cancer, the chasm widens between Tom and his two children Daniel and Alison who blame him for the loss of their mother.
The novel tackles themes like childhood trauma, sexuality and loss. Sexual abuse and bereavement play a major part in shaping Daniel into becoming the villain that he becomes later in life. His father Tom struggle with alcohol abuse and his constant infidelity distances him from his family, which leads to more drinking and shame. It is a thriller about redemption and Fin C Gray does a good job of showing how Tom struggles to reconcile his past actions with their consequences. He is a character who feels that he made a Faustian pact with the devil and he watches hopelessly as he losses touch with his children. It is also a tragic story because, through most of the novel, it does not seem like there will be redemption for Tom, let alone for Daniel who finds it difficult to deal with the loss of his mother.
I enjoyed the novel; It is fast-paced and it has short chapters. The timeline alternates from present to past and the author zones into McIntyre family giving depth to the characters. I would have loved to see more of Jenny McIntyre throughout the book; she does play a major close to the end of the book but I think of all the characters she has the least depth. I am giving the novel 3 out of 4 stars. It appears to be professionally edited and it does not have many visible errors.
The story is coherent and the author creates suspense throughout the book, starting from the first scene right till the end. By the end of the book, all the pieces fall in place and this makes it enjoyable to read. Duplicity will appeal to lovers of action thrillers that also have a domestic element since it is premised around the family unit.
What I did not like about the book were some of the disturbing scenes concerning child abuse. The author did not make any of the characters likeable which made it harder for me to root for any of them. Tom is a cheating alcoholic and even though Daniel goes through a lot of hardship growing up, it is difficult to sympathize with him and his actions later in life. The novel also contains profanity, sexual scenes and description of acts of violence which does not make it suitable for young readers.
******
Duplicity
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: The McCoys Before The Feud by Thomas McCoy
