Alison MacLeod (2) (1964–)

I knew nothing about the author before finding this book, but was hugely impressed by its literacy and fresh insights into what could have been quite cliched subject matter. A readable and gripping story of life in Brighton during the darkest days of World War 2, it has a nuanced and believable view of the moral issues of the time, and resists the heroic view.

One of the best collections of short stories I've read in some time. Unlimited by continent or age, the protagonists consider questions of time, love and jihad. The author managed to make me smile and well up within a few pages. With a young man caught up in the London riots, I hoped he would find his new girlfriend, whilst in another tale Chekhovian meta-narrative disappeared a dog for two would-be philanderers. A prospective jihadi finds Joy (capitalisation deliberate) on Brighton pier show more instead of taking a flight to Turkey. In Yalta, Chekhov is followed whilst in turn of the century Canada,a young woman risks dancing with a member of the band.
The kind of book that makes you go searching for an author's back catalogue.
This was a Netgalley ARC. show less

«Unexploded» focuses on an episode if the Second World War rarely touched upon in other fiction namely the fear of an invasion of Britain in early 1940. Original, well-written but somewhat mundane, and ultimately little impressive.

Set in Brighton during the period of May 1940 to June 1941, when a German invasion was expected imminently, MacLeod’s novel explores how the life-upsetting alterations, challenge relationships that have previously seemed unchanging. The book also examines the support for Oswald Moseley and the suppressed ant-Jewish attitudes of some of the British, even as they opposed Hitler.
Macleod’s elegant and engaging writing looks at these issues through the live of Geoffrey and Evelyn and how show more their marriage is disrupted. Their love is challenge in previously unexpected ways as they see each other anew and as they also struggle to bring up their eight year old son, Philip, as he becomes involved in increasingly risky adventures with his friends.
Macleod’s fine writing involves the reader throughout and captures the danger of the time and makes for a revealing and moving novel. show less