When Claudia is called to the reception of her Manchester Office block to meet a visitor, she doesn't expect it to be her father figure – a man she hasn't seen for fifteen years. Samson Glaze – otherwise known as Wild Samson, The Aztec and The Sun King, walked out of Claudia's life and into a world of success as a solar panel salesman – but now he's returned and he needs Claudia's help. Reggie, Samson's son, has joined a mysterious cult called Tarantula, a group who prepare for the end of the world and encourage humanity to embrace their impending doom. Claudia's journey takes her far from her home in Manchester to the end of the world – where encounters with hammer-wielding assassins make things very difficult indeed…
| Claudia by Anthony Trevelyan | |
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| Category: General Fiction | |
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Reviewer: Luke Marlowe
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| Summary: A compelling blend of the odd and the ordinary, Claudia is an impressive sophomore novel from a skilled author | |
| Buy? Yes | Borrow? Yes |
| Pages: 384 | Date: April 2018 |
| Publisher: Sceptre Books | |
| External links: Author's website | |
| ISBN: 978-1473664777 | |
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Anthony Trevelyan is a Lancashire-based author who works as a teacher of creative writing at a Sixth Form College in Stockport. He first came to attention with the publication of his first novel, The Weightless World in 2015, a futuristic and evocative tale set in India.
Claudia brings two fascinating characters to the fore of things in Claudia and Reggie - compellingly written individuals who draw the reader in with intriguing personalities and a fascinating dynamic. Through these and a wide cast of cleverly drawn characters, Trevelyan weaves a compelling plot - one that kept me intrigued throughout by blending odd, surprising elements with the more grounded environments that the characters spend time in. I don't think anyone picking up this book will expect the book to be taken to the places they end up going to, but the author's skill is such that the journey there is both fascinating and fun - and adding to that, the author's narrative voice is hugely distinctive, which when combined with expertly chosen dialogue makes for a read that I throughly enjoyed.
A tale that combines the mundane with the extraordinary, Claudia is unlike anything you'll have read before. A compelling story told with real skill, it's well worth your time, and I'm grateful to the publishers for sending The Bookbag a copy.
For further reading I recommend Bitter Sixteen by Stefan Mohamed – another read that goes to some odd places, but keeps the reader grounded and hooked with exceptionally strong lead characters.
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You can read more book reviews or buy Claudia by Anthony Trevelyan at Amazon.com.
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