View source for Twenty-One Locks by Laura Barton

{{infobox1
|title=Twenty-One Locks
|author=Laura Barton
|reviewer=Louise Laurie
|genre=General Fiction
|summary=This is a story about a northern lass asking herself the big questions concerning love and romance.  As her wedding to a staid, dull northern lad looms, does she receive any sensible answers - and perhaps more importantly, does she heed any of them?
|rating=4
|buy=Yes
|borrow=Yes
|pages=272
|publisher=Quercus Publishing PLC
|date=July 2010
|isbn=978-1849161749
|cover=1849161747
|aznuk=1849161747
|aznus=1849161747
}}
This debut novel's central character is 20 year old sales girl, Jeannie.  She lives a very humdrum life in a rather ugly, down-at-heel town in the north.  And straight away Barton treats the reader to her lovely, descriptive prose.  For example, when the reader is given some detail about Jeannie's workplace at the perfume and cosmetics counter where ...  ''the lipsticks ... all lined up like chorus girls ...''  Barton's writing style is very easy to read, very fluid and I found myself getting right into the story straight away - and caring about Jeannie.
 
Barton seems to know her social history of the area.  The reader is treated to numerous pieces all about the history and geography of that part of the UK.  Whether it's about the canals, the locks (hence the title of the book), the redundant mines, it's all portrayed here in creative but nevertheless, stark language.  At this juncture the well-used phrase 'It's grim up north' did pop into my head whether I wanted it to or not, I must admit.
 
Barton underlines time and time again the uneventful, relentlessly routine and boring lives of her characters - but she also points out that northern grit, that northern humour.  And she's got it all down to a fine art.  There's a clutch of comforting older women and mothers with their traditional names and then there's some upstart youngsters with their ridiculous modern names which are usually out of kilter with the drab surroundings.  Great stuff.  I loved all the down-to-earthiness of it all, wrapped up beautifully in Barton's lovely prose.
 
The story itself is one we've heard before - many times.  Boy meets girl ... drama and conflict ... do they live happily every after?  And in this case, do they?  Jeannie comes across very well, as does her uncouth fiance.  She's witnessed some of his unsavoury habits at close quarters and she's not too impressed.  She ''wonders vaguely if it were ever acceptable to leave somebody because of their table manners.''  And on top of everything, she seems beset with pre-wedding nerves.
 
Then, out of the blue, she bumps into a nice, young man.  They get on like a house on fire.  Oh, oh, that's not supposed to happen, is it?  She's supposed to only have eyes for her fiance.  She's in a bit of a fix.  What on earth is she going to do about her love-life?
 
The hard-work ethic and doughtiness of the northern women, in particular, is plain for all to see in this novel.  It makes for a cosy read.  A delicious example involves Jeannie's future mother-in-law who is ''approaching the event (the wedding) with the same thoroughness she usually reserves for cleaning the bathroom.''  Downright hilarious and great stuff.  And there's plenty more of this throughout the novel.  The whole crux here is basically will Jeannie settle for what she knows - or will she be brave?
 
Barton's conversational style had me reading this book easily in two sittings.  I hesitated between giving this book a 4.5 or a 4 rating.  I'm sticking with the 4 because while I did enjoy the book, I felt it perhaps ran out of steam a little in the second half.  A minor point though.  Overall, an enjoyable and entertaining read.

I'd like to thank the publishers for sending a copy to The Bookbag.
 
If this book appeals then try [[Whatever Love Means by David Baddiel]].

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