Review of Duplicity
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John Christopher
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Review of Duplicity
[Following is a volunteer review of "Duplicity" by Fin C Gray.]
It goes without saying that people should be careful what they wish for, as it may not be exactly what they wanted once they receive it. The book Duplicity can be considered as a written embodiment of this common saying. The book starts the scene on the train on the way to Oxford Circus. A terrorist attack has occurred, and panic ensues. You are then thrown into the past. You are placed onto Daniel McIntyre's shoes on your way to the lorry park after school then back to the modern-day period. You are now Tom, Daniel's estranged father. Watch as the story unfold and find the connection between these events as the story places you both in the past and present up to the bombing tragedy. Follow Daniel as he grows into the man he is now and find why and how he has grown to dislike his father. Follow Tom as he tries to mend his broken relationship with his beloved family after a tragic event has taken a toll on their connection. Learn how communication or the lack thereof can lead to different impressions in an individual's relationship with loved ones. Several themes would also be presented as you read through the book, such as substance abuse, loss, depression, violence against living beings, sexuality, and acceptance.
Fin C. Gray's work on this book is hard to describe. If I would narrow it down to two words at least, I would say the book is magnificently horrific. The portrayal of the character's actions feels incredibly visceral, so much so that it makes me feel sick from time to time. I feel that a lot of fans of this genre would enjoy it. The characters are also well developed. As the story shows both the past and the present, you would have an easier time understanding them. I can't help but praise Gray for his writing prowess. It is not every day that an author made me truly hate yet understand why a character acts the way they do. Aside from these, I think the best part of his writing style is how he has masterfully interwoven the flashbacks with the modern-day sections. It is written in such a way that it does not interrupt the storytelling but instead adds flavor and background to the current events. I understand that this style might not be some reader's cup of tea, but if you would give it a chance, it should give you a new perspective on how flashback sections could be when done right.
The only section of the book that I dislike is the portrayal of Muslims. It is prominently included starting from about the middle point of the book. I do not have any problems with any religious groups at all, but I dislike only presenting readers with only one religious sector of their group that most people would consider as extremists. The author did say he has done his research about the customs and traditions, but at the same time, he also partnered his portrayal with the main Muslim characters attacking civilians. It can also be argued that adding more groups would stray away from the story, but having at least a mention or at least it was shown that there are different groups have been better.
The book has been edited professionally. I was not able to notice any typographical errors or grammar lapses while reading it. As for the rating, I would still give this book a 4 out of 4 stars. Despite the flaw I had stated above, it is still an incredibly enjoyable book. Plus most if not everyone already knows that the portrayal of the religious group in the book is just a sector and does not represent the whole. In my opinion, the good things about the book still outweigh the bad thing that I did not like about it. It is not enough for me to remove a point for rating.
Fans of gore, thriller, crime investigation, and drama would surely enjoy this book. I would recommend that you dedicate a morning to read it, as it is most likely that you would read this cover to cover in a day as I did in one sitting. The book also deals with sexual exploration, themes of rape, acts of terrorism, and things that some may consider religious extremism. It is not suitable for younger as well as conservative audiences and those readers that feel uncomfortable discussing these topics.
******
Duplicity
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
It goes without saying that people should be careful what they wish for, as it may not be exactly what they wanted once they receive it. The book Duplicity can be considered as a written embodiment of this common saying. The book starts the scene on the train on the way to Oxford Circus. A terrorist attack has occurred, and panic ensues. You are then thrown into the past. You are placed onto Daniel McIntyre's shoes on your way to the lorry park after school then back to the modern-day period. You are now Tom, Daniel's estranged father. Watch as the story unfold and find the connection between these events as the story places you both in the past and present up to the bombing tragedy. Follow Daniel as he grows into the man he is now and find why and how he has grown to dislike his father. Follow Tom as he tries to mend his broken relationship with his beloved family after a tragic event has taken a toll on their connection. Learn how communication or the lack thereof can lead to different impressions in an individual's relationship with loved ones. Several themes would also be presented as you read through the book, such as substance abuse, loss, depression, violence against living beings, sexuality, and acceptance.
Fin C. Gray's work on this book is hard to describe. If I would narrow it down to two words at least, I would say the book is magnificently horrific. The portrayal of the character's actions feels incredibly visceral, so much so that it makes me feel sick from time to time. I feel that a lot of fans of this genre would enjoy it. The characters are also well developed. As the story shows both the past and the present, you would have an easier time understanding them. I can't help but praise Gray for his writing prowess. It is not every day that an author made me truly hate yet understand why a character acts the way they do. Aside from these, I think the best part of his writing style is how he has masterfully interwoven the flashbacks with the modern-day sections. It is written in such a way that it does not interrupt the storytelling but instead adds flavor and background to the current events. I understand that this style might not be some reader's cup of tea, but if you would give it a chance, it should give you a new perspective on how flashback sections could be when done right.
The only section of the book that I dislike is the portrayal of Muslims. It is prominently included starting from about the middle point of the book. I do not have any problems with any religious groups at all, but I dislike only presenting readers with only one religious sector of their group that most people would consider as extremists. The author did say he has done his research about the customs and traditions, but at the same time, he also partnered his portrayal with the main Muslim characters attacking civilians. It can also be argued that adding more groups would stray away from the story, but having at least a mention or at least it was shown that there are different groups have been better.
The book has been edited professionally. I was not able to notice any typographical errors or grammar lapses while reading it. As for the rating, I would still give this book a 4 out of 4 stars. Despite the flaw I had stated above, it is still an incredibly enjoyable book. Plus most if not everyone already knows that the portrayal of the religious group in the book is just a sector and does not represent the whole. In my opinion, the good things about the book still outweigh the bad thing that I did not like about it. It is not enough for me to remove a point for rating.
Fans of gore, thriller, crime investigation, and drama would surely enjoy this book. I would recommend that you dedicate a morning to read it, as it is most likely that you would read this cover to cover in a day as I did in one sitting. The book also deals with sexual exploration, themes of rape, acts of terrorism, and things that some may consider religious extremism. It is not suitable for younger as well as conservative audiences and those readers that feel uncomfortable discussing these topics.
******
Duplicity
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: Veterans Day by J. J. Jorgens
