Review by asmv99 -- Duplicity by Fin C Gray
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asmv99
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- Latest Review: Duplicity by Fin C Gray
Review by asmv99 -- Duplicity by Fin C Gray
[Following is a volunteer review of "Duplicity" by Fin C Gray.]
If this novel is ever made into a TV show or film, I will watch it in a heartbeat! However, let me begin this review with a full disclaimer. If blood, gore, sexual assault, terrorism, alcoholism, and death, among others, trigger you, this is not a book for you.
Duplicity, by Scottish writer Fin C. Gray, is a psychological thriller dealing with the topics mentioned above. The story primarily follows the unstable relationship between a father, Tom, and Daniel, his son, in a span of approximately a decade. Tom is a man who strives for freedom and financial success, which, more often than not, clouds his better judgment. Feeling unsatisfied with his life, he thinks far too much on the prospects of leaving his family life behind, much to his detriment later on. On the other hand, Daniel starts as a cheerful young boy whose emotional stability begins to crumble after two terrible yet significant events happen before he even reaches the age of sixteen. With all of this in consideration, the reader begins to see their relationship unfold for all to see. With a constant emotional back-and-forth between them, a life of regret and misery commences.
The novel is not written in chronological order, jumping from different points in the life of each main character. I love stories written this way because, if done right, the non-chronological order allows the reader to better understand each event without the uncertainty of what is going to happen next. The psychological turmoil that brews in each character is also exemplified, thanks to Gray's writing style.
It is evident in Gray's description of the book that his central characters are not entirely worthy of sympathy. They are portrayed as complex and deeply flawed human beings who are not only trying to find their place in society but are trying to comprehend themselves as individuals and understand their relationships with others. It is a constant battle to understand their emotions and why the life they have lived has been the way it has, something that many people in real life go through. Their actions and intentions are up for questioning, not just by the reader but by the characters themselves.
Some chapters of the story do not wholly focus on either Tom's or Daniel's point of view, allowing the reader to view the central characters in a different light. Yet, there were very few chapters that were done based on a secondary character's points of view. I would have enjoyed more chapters written this way because it would have given me a better understanding of the other characters—specifically, the ones who had the most significant impact on either Tom or Daniel. In reference to this, I would have appreciated an entire chapter dedicated to the character named Waqar. Though the author did manage to give him as much depth as possible, I found that there was not enough psychological insight to clarify his intentions throughout the story.
Overall, I give this novel four out of four stars. No other rating could be given, in my opinion. Even with the few punctuation errors I found and some of the story's shortcomings, Duplicity is still a marvelous piece of fiction. I had never found myself so drawn to a psychological thriller until I came upon Gray's work. Gray is a fantastic writer, and I will be looking forward to reading any other work of his in the future.
******
Duplicity
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
If this novel is ever made into a TV show or film, I will watch it in a heartbeat! However, let me begin this review with a full disclaimer. If blood, gore, sexual assault, terrorism, alcoholism, and death, among others, trigger you, this is not a book for you.
Duplicity, by Scottish writer Fin C. Gray, is a psychological thriller dealing with the topics mentioned above. The story primarily follows the unstable relationship between a father, Tom, and Daniel, his son, in a span of approximately a decade. Tom is a man who strives for freedom and financial success, which, more often than not, clouds his better judgment. Feeling unsatisfied with his life, he thinks far too much on the prospects of leaving his family life behind, much to his detriment later on. On the other hand, Daniel starts as a cheerful young boy whose emotional stability begins to crumble after two terrible yet significant events happen before he even reaches the age of sixteen. With all of this in consideration, the reader begins to see their relationship unfold for all to see. With a constant emotional back-and-forth between them, a life of regret and misery commences.
The novel is not written in chronological order, jumping from different points in the life of each main character. I love stories written this way because, if done right, the non-chronological order allows the reader to better understand each event without the uncertainty of what is going to happen next. The psychological turmoil that brews in each character is also exemplified, thanks to Gray's writing style.
It is evident in Gray's description of the book that his central characters are not entirely worthy of sympathy. They are portrayed as complex and deeply flawed human beings who are not only trying to find their place in society but are trying to comprehend themselves as individuals and understand their relationships with others. It is a constant battle to understand their emotions and why the life they have lived has been the way it has, something that many people in real life go through. Their actions and intentions are up for questioning, not just by the reader but by the characters themselves.
Some chapters of the story do not wholly focus on either Tom's or Daniel's point of view, allowing the reader to view the central characters in a different light. Yet, there were very few chapters that were done based on a secondary character's points of view. I would have enjoyed more chapters written this way because it would have given me a better understanding of the other characters—specifically, the ones who had the most significant impact on either Tom or Daniel. In reference to this, I would have appreciated an entire chapter dedicated to the character named Waqar. Though the author did manage to give him as much depth as possible, I found that there was not enough psychological insight to clarify his intentions throughout the story.
Overall, I give this novel four out of four stars. No other rating could be given, in my opinion. Even with the few punctuation errors I found and some of the story's shortcomings, Duplicity is still a marvelous piece of fiction. I had never found myself so drawn to a psychological thriller until I came upon Gray's work. Gray is a fantastic writer, and I will be looking forward to reading any other work of his in the future.
******
Duplicity
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: Duplicity by Fin C Gray
