Changes

The first part of the novel sets the tone and also lets us know about the characters and particularly how they cope with a fast-changing and often brutal world. Lawton packs a lot into his sentences. Many are pregnant with meaning. This has the effect of giving his book a certain level of seriousness - even allowing for the genre. This is all good if you like a 'deep' thriller. The second part is more action-packed. But what came across as I was reading the book is that Lawton seems to want to tell his readers so much about so many subjects. Rather than at times, just leaving us with a nice line and then getting on with the narrative, he tends to give us a potted history. Fine up to a point. But Lawton went beyond 'fine' for me on quite a few occasions. He also likes to throw in a lot of well-known names expecting his readers to come to the table well-informed in order to squeeze out maximum enjoyment from the novel. Over-egging a perfectly good pudding, in my opinion. Having said all that, Lawton's style is intelligent and effortless on the page. And in the closing pages (or thereabouts) Lawton explains his evocative book title choice - and it's terrific. It's apt and poetic at the same time. Overall, an intricately-woven thriller-type read.

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