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5.0 out of 5 stars
Witty and Whimsical, August 2, 2010
I often hear people complaining that there is an identikit trend in publishing these days. Everything is a re-hash of something else. We have the sparkly vampire trend, the miserable childhood trend, the religious conspiracy trend (that Dan Brown has a lot to answer for) - but somehow, amongst all the guff and dribble out there, I managed to come across 'Missio' by Tim Roux. In the interests of lyrical writing, I'd have liked to have said it 'bucks the trend' here - but the truth is, it's simply unique. I was particularly drawn to it because of the suggestion of whimsy and magic - and I was not dissapointed. Roux creates a gritty grey world - the mean streets of Hull - and then introduces a fantastical layer of wizardry, mediumship and simple old fashioned magic. Don't worry - this is no Harry Potter for grown-ups, but like HP, it will rip you out of the mundane reality of HERE and whisk you into the darkly amusing land of THERE. I must say that I found the blurb didn't give the best impression of this book. The trawler connection is somewhat incidental - the protaganist (who is written in the first person and so well, that I entirely forgot for about the first two chapters that it wasn't an autobiography) is the last of a tragic trawling dynasty and this is painted realistically and endearingly. However,for me, the parts of the novel that I will remember will most certainly be the astonishing characters that Roux paints - each so vivid, so demanding of your attention, that they leap at you in trompe l'oiel. The Hanging Judge, The Great Macaroni, King Codd, Stevie's mum - each has great poignancy and depth and each stays with you for days after - popping up when you're washing up, or slinking into the back of your mind whilst you're in the bath. In short, this is a literary work which deserves great accolade. If I was forced at gun-point to make a comparison, I might think of Will Self's 'How the Dead Live', though it is much lighter in both spirit and style. Roux really is a very skilled and articulate writer. Missio is witty, whimsical, warm, down to earth yet entirely bonkers...all at once. I loved it.
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5.0 out of 5 stars
Better read than explained!, January 29, 2012
This review is from: Missio (Kindle Edition)
"I have become a bit obsessive about how many Hull trawlers went down over the years. They say that it For one thing while this is not a travel book now I want to go Hull home of shady and wonderful characters. In this skilled writers hands the environs of this place and those who reside there bring to mind Dennis Lehanes darkly wonderful books. Steve the hero lives in a water town and fears it, thats both funny and sad which now that I think about it is a pretty good description of the story.Stevie is a character who describes himself as dragged into life as the son of single mother at a time and place when such things made life hard. His mother by the way is an amazing fully fleshed out character and one of the great women of fiction for my money. This is a coming of age book an adventure story and in the skilled one of a kind of talented hands of this writer its an unforgettable darkly beautiful story about what we keep, what we shouldnt keep but do anyway and what we need in the end. Which now that I think about it could be a description for Angela's Ashes and I hope that compare speaks for itself this book certainly does.
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5.0 out of 5 stars
Originality in great Style, December 2, 2011
This review is from: Missio (Kindle Edition)
When I started to read this book I was expecting, from the blurb, something of a cross between E Nesbit and Enid Blyton - which, I hasten to add, was to me a strong recommendation. To my surprise, this is much more of an adult book than that would imply. Steven is discussing and remembering his past (as apparently he often does) with his two friends, Macca and George, all of them now men in their forties, while drinking in a pub in the neighbourhood where they once lived and where they met as children. Steven has moved on - they all have - and is a successful businessman, but his past still haunts him. The style is racy, blunt, and full of wit and humour, with frequent touches of poetry. The Hull accent and atmosphere are all prevading throughout the book, and this in itself is a great attraction. A book with a real and vivid setting beats hands down one which might be set anywhere. Stevie's story, as it comes through gradually, is full of originality, with twists and turns in plenty. It's also full of vivid characters, from his mother, his granny and his cat Felico to the hanging judge and the magician. Danielle is a beautifully drawn heroine, with her background clashing with her Hull accent and racy style of speech. George and Macca come to life with a sure touch. All in all, this is a book which deserves to be widely read, and to climb the rankings - let's hope it will do, soon!
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