Post by TheWallsScreamedPoetry on Jan 23, 2011 13:02:38 GMT
Becoming Angel by Jim Cherry
Jim's book is a poignant look at the inherent sadness of relationships. Every time we make a friend we are lining ourselves up for despondency which is the fate that befalls his main character John Beckett when he is introduced to a new workmate.
At first he finds little of interest in Paige but as time passes and the debauchery continues he realises he may well be in love, for the first time in his life, with her.
Spending his evenings either drunk or spaced out on coke or both he longs for something more to his life and dares to hope that Paige may well provide it.
Who else in his world can he turn to. His friends are as sad and alone as he is and his family absolve themselves of responsibility by sending him for regular sessions with a psychiatrist who is as bored with `Becks' life as him.
So seeking salvation with Paige he embarks on a journey that will inevitably lead to heartache and redemption.
Only in the anguish of loss can we truly appreciate what we actually had but were too stupid to realise.
Setting up home with her he attempts to distance himself from all the rottenness around him but his friends ensure that this is an impossible dream.
The characters Jim brings to life are more than believable because most of us know someone just like them and most of us know of a place just like the suburb where Jim sets his story.
Rock references abound including many Doors ones as our `hero' does have a decent taste in music but this is a rather sad tale set in seedy surroundings of bars and drug dealers front rooms.
Tinged with hope yes but as we all know to our cost the futile promise hope brings is always just an elusive fingertip away and so it inevitably is for John Beckett.
Jim's narrative contains no car chases, serial killers or great plot twists but instead concentrates on the innate humanness we all possess but try our best to subdue in the laughable quest to be `cool' and is a very readable little effort very worthy of your attention.
Scorpywag rating 8/10 very neat debut.-
Alex Patton, Editor of Thedoors4Scorpywag the on-line Doors fanzine.
From Scorpywag 2002
Jim's book is a poignant look at the inherent sadness of relationships. Every time we make a friend we are lining ourselves up for despondency which is the fate that befalls his main character John Beckett when he is introduced to a new workmate.
At first he finds little of interest in Paige but as time passes and the debauchery continues he realises he may well be in love, for the first time in his life, with her.
Spending his evenings either drunk or spaced out on coke or both he longs for something more to his life and dares to hope that Paige may well provide it.
Who else in his world can he turn to. His friends are as sad and alone as he is and his family absolve themselves of responsibility by sending him for regular sessions with a psychiatrist who is as bored with `Becks' life as him.
So seeking salvation with Paige he embarks on a journey that will inevitably lead to heartache and redemption.
Only in the anguish of loss can we truly appreciate what we actually had but were too stupid to realise.
Setting up home with her he attempts to distance himself from all the rottenness around him but his friends ensure that this is an impossible dream.
The characters Jim brings to life are more than believable because most of us know someone just like them and most of us know of a place just like the suburb where Jim sets his story.
Rock references abound including many Doors ones as our `hero' does have a decent taste in music but this is a rather sad tale set in seedy surroundings of bars and drug dealers front rooms.
Tinged with hope yes but as we all know to our cost the futile promise hope brings is always just an elusive fingertip away and so it inevitably is for John Beckett.
Jim's narrative contains no car chases, serial killers or great plot twists but instead concentrates on the innate humanness we all possess but try our best to subdue in the laughable quest to be `cool' and is a very readable little effort very worthy of your attention.
Scorpywag rating 8/10 very neat debut.-
Alex Patton, Editor of Thedoors4Scorpywag the on-line Doors fanzine.
From Scorpywag 2002