Summer Of 76
I’ve seen a few comments
online saying that Isabel Ashdown seems to have brought about a summer heatwave
through the sheer power of her book ‘Summer of ‘76’ which recreates the hot
summer of 1976. Well, I read the book just before the current heatwave started
and I have to say that it made me believe there was intense sunshine and an impending drought in the
outside world even when it was actually raining and unseasonally chilly.
The heatwave itself is an
important plot factor in the novel. Everyone is just a bit wearier, a bit
tetchier and a bit more likely to fly off the handle than they might have been
otherwise. This adds a feeling of edginess to the story which is very
effective.
We start the story with two
of the main characters back in 1971 and then move forward to 1976 and follow
the story of Luke, his parents Joanna and Richard and little sister Kitty from
there. As the story starts the heatwave is just beginning to make its presence
felt and as the action goes on we see both the heat and the family tensions
being cranked up.
The prologue hints at one of
the issues that will becoming increasingly important as the story goes on. It takes
the reader into the story well because it’s obvious from the start that there
is a pretty big secret that is going to surface in the course of the novel.
Set on the Isle of Wight,
the novel makes good use of location. The sea, the beach, the holiday camp and the
surroundings generally are pivotal to the story. But there is also a feeling of
the claustrophobia and isolation of living on an island and wanting to escape
as Luke does throughout the story.
I loved all the characters
in this book, even the ones who were largely unsympathetic, but I think my
favourites were probably Luke’s sister Kitty (an expertly drawn portrayal of a
young child), his old friend Martin, his new friend Gordon, and his Gran.
As well as exploring the
issues of a particular family, this novel also considers the nature of family
itself and comes to some intriguing conclusions that finish the novel in a satisfying way.
This is a fabulous read and
I highly recommend it.
Many thanks to the publisher
for a review copy of this book.
You can find out more and
buy a copy here.
You can find my reviews of
Isabel’s previous novels, Glasshopper and Hurry Up And Wait on Bookersatz.
1 comment:
I've bought a copy of this book and look forward to reading it, especially now that we're experiencing our own heat wave!
Post a Comment