Review of Duplicity

[dbjonas]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Duplicity" by Fin C Gray.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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Written by Fin C. Gray, Duplicity is a book that looks at the circumstances that would lead to the radicalisation of a young man, and the effects that his subsequent violent actions would have on his family. This interesting but dark tale follows Daniel McIntyre from his childhood, when his innocence and faith in humanity would initially be tested, to the end on his life - on a crowded train with a concealed suicide jacket.

If the reader is anything like me, Duplicity might be a difficult one to take down. This book is bleak and indelicate and is centred around distressing human behaviour. The author draws attention to the reality of a dysfunctional family and the effects of grief and neglect on a child. In this case, it yielded a target for emotional manipulation, and strangely, the reader might find themselves sympathising with an ultimately lost soul trying to find happiness. This book also has real life implications as it might lead to questions about what combination of events exactly give rise to a radical person.

Another great aspect of this book would be the writing of Fin C. Gray. The author did a very nice job of descriptions in particular. Characters were very vivid and flawed, and their interactions and mannerisms kind of added to the general tone of the author’s world. Utilising flashbacks, the author also succeeded in providing a comprehensive story without muddying the flow of the storyline.

In a way, this book was really focused on family, or the decay of what seemed like an initially healthy one. A lack of stability from a young age and a support system in his adulthood exacerbated Daniel McIntyre’s outlook on the world and directly influenced his later actions and the author accurately pointed out that fact.

I am happy to give this book 4 out of 4 stars. I enjoyed the writing a lot and in spite of a few errors, it appears to have been professionally edited. I would generally recommend this book to readers who enjoy crime and mystery books, but I would like to give the prerequisite warning. As it should be clear by now, this book deals with a lot of serious and often dark themes throughout. It explores themes of sex and sexuality, religion, abuse, alcoholism, terrorism and various other aspects. It is not a casual flip-through read and is the kind of book that makes an impression. It is intended only for mature audiences.

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Duplicity
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