The first review of The Bird That Nobody Sees...

5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely stunning., 21 July 2012
By
ElaineG (uk)
Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Bird That Nobody Sees (FRUGALITY) (Kindle Edition)

If you have already read Tollesbury Time Forever, you will be familiar with Stuart's style of writing and you will be pleased to know that he has gone from strength to strength. The narrative here is absolutely superb. The words that come to mind are beautiful, lyrical, evocative, stunning, sheer poetry. A lot of writers may come to a sticky end here, and get so carried away that a book ends up unreadable (self absorbent, pretentious etc) but not with Stuart because he keeps it so real with his characters and plot that it all just works perfectly.

It starts with Rod, who just qualifies as a midget, leaving prison after unfairly serving two months of a four month sentence. He has lost all hope, has a chip on his shoulder and murder in mind and is in dire need of salvation. Enter Eryn Rose from the Eastern Region Angel Collectiive whose mission it is to save him. Also enter Rod's new found drinking partners who rapidly turn into real friends and along with Eryn Rose' fellow angel Brando, who is there to assist Liz, Rod's wife (who doesn't quite qualify as a midget) and it seems as if everything is all going to fall into place.

One thing that does shine through in this book, for me more than in Stuart's other books, is his sense of humour - I laughed out loud several times at the antics of the men, shaking my head thinking "typical men", although none of it is slapstick - just well observed commentary on men, particularly when they are in male bonding "drinking with the boys" mode.

This book is so well written that you are torn, on the one hand you want to read and read and read and see what happens next but on the other hand you want to savour every word. I am sure I will be rereading this (as well as Tollesbury Time Forever) over and over again in the future.

And the ending? Well that is an absolute corker. If I met Stuart now I am sure I wouldn't know whether to buy him a pint or smack him round the head with a naanadon!

PS: Tollesbury fans will also be delighted with the references to FRUGALITY and to the book itself, and if you haven't already read it, then do yourself a favour and make that the next book on your list to read.

 

HURRAH!! 

(That's me doing the 'hurrah!!' by the way...)