Reviewer: Liza Perrat, author of the French Historical, The Bone Angel
trilogy (Spirit of Lost
Angels, Wolfsangel, Blood Rose Angel) and Australian 1970s series: The Silent Kookaburra and The Swooping
Magpie.
What we thought: I don’t think I’m smart enough to understand everything about John Lynch’s clever novel, Darkness
Comes.
But, at the end of the day, I
found this a highly entertaining read and thoroughly enjoyed this judgement-day-style trial of Ted Bailey’s life.
Ted is about as flawed a person
as you could get –– womanizer, drug dealer, arms seller, murderer. Hardly a
likeable character. But somehow the author evokes in us, sympathy for him. Perhaps
we can all see some of ourselves in Ted?
In the end, I found myself fighting in
Ted’s corner as –– now on the verge of death –– each part of his life is
exposed, and judged. I found myself wanting him to win, whatever that means.
Judged worthy of Heaven, or sent to Hell? Or perhaps neither, if they don’t
exist?
The vast cast of characters ––
people who have featured in Ted Bailey’s life –– is not, as I first imagined,
difficult to follow, as each one is transient (like most of the people we meet
in life), making an almost ethereal appearance, and I just enjoyed each
fleeting moment with the different characters. Which, so “they” say, we should
do in real life.
I felt the author was drawing parallels with all of us,
through each character; that they represented a type of living individual to
whom we can all relate.
I did wonder if Ted Bailey represented
our human conscience. However that’s something for each reader to decide for
him/herself.
Apart from being
an extremely well-written novel, with its quirky storyline,
very real, and flawed, characters, and easy-to-read, lyrical prose, I would
highly recommend Darkness Comes as an entertaining, ingenious look at life and
its many nuances.
You’ll like this if you: flawed characters and
out-of-the-ordinary tales.
Avoid if you don’t like: political and religious content.
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