3 out of 4 stars
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Point of Return by Lloyd Tosoff is a story that revolves around Ian MacLeod, a naïve accountant who is hired as an auditor by the Glasgow based accounting firm RIA. But it turns out that he has been set up and gets caught up in a murder conspiracy. Ian is innocent and is forced to stand against the ruthless Scottish mob. This story is beautifully complex and enthralling and will take into the realm of crime and deceit.
I feel that the plot of the story is absolutely wonderful. The story begins at a moment of climax, and this adds flavour to the reader’s experience as the reader will find himself to be drawn to the story from the very first word. The first chapter is very important because it sets the precedent for what will come in the following chapters. I felt that the overall storyline was very strong and the author has done justice to the story by presenting it in his own unique way.
The author has not created a linear narrative, which can be restrictive for a number of reasons. He has fused together different events to form a more fluid narrative. There is also a consistency in the plot and it is difficult to find a disconnect anywhere in the story. I feel that in this particular genre, the most important thing is the plot and I feel that overall, the author created a well-developed plot.
Another significant thing about this book is the characterisation in it. The way the author has created characters is a bit disappointing. At a point, I felt that other than the protagonist, all other characters of the story are a bit flat. They didn’t seem to have come into the story with their own pasts and baggage. I would have loved to see more backstory in the context of the side characters because I feel that the characterisation of the author limited the narrative to a certain extent. That being said, I definitely loved the characterisation of the protagonist. I feel that Ian was projected as a strong but naive character who had a lot to offer in the story.
Overall, I feel that this book deserves 3 out of 4 stars. I absolutely loved the story, but I felt that there were a few important elements missing. I also felt that at a certain level, the overall narrative lacked complexity, which is not necessarily a bad thing, but it made the book a bit boring at times.
One thing that I absolutely loved about the story is the way the author has sensitively differentiated between different dialects and speaking styles within the United Kingdom. It was really interesting to see that different cultures had not been put in the same box.
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Point of Return
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