G1149 Book Review of Blood by Maggie Gee
Author: Maggie Gee
ISBN: 978-1-909572-12-6
Publisher: Fentum Press
Type of book: England, violence, comedy, family, bonds, mystery, modern times, attraction, support, dentistry, shady,
Year it was published: 2019
Summary:
Who attacked Dad? When a corrupt, brutal dentist, Albert Ludd, is found battered and bloody after failing to attend a memorial party for his youngest son, suspicion falls on the dentist's other children. Especially on Dad's middle daughter, 37-year-old buxom bruiser Monica Ludd, who was heard 'uttering threats' against her absent father. How come her car is found outside Dad's house? Why did she buy a large axe? And yet, Monica's a deputy head teacher... Blood is a Gothic black comedy seen through the eyes of six-foot Monica, who cannot help speaking her secret thoughts aloud and who has been banned by the principal of her school, from using social media. '"Parents are sensitive to abuse." "Neil, I would never abuse our parents." "Governors queried 'moron' and 'twat'." ' Set in an angry, anarchic, Brexit-ing Britain where terrorism has become routine, Blood also asks serious questions about modern life: what can we do with the brutal men who bully women and the weak? Can we wait for a world of order and justice? If we hit back, can the circle of violence ever be broken?
Characters:
The main characters include the Ludd children: twin autistic eldest brothers, then the older sister who is stylish and is a lesbian, then Monica the deputy head who is well meaning and defensive, then Sarah the fairy an anorexic and beautiful model and last but not least is the dead brother who suffered from dyslexia. Also, of course there is Alber Ludd who rules by physical force rather than anything else and whom his kids hate and Adoncia, his mistress as well as the policeman who develops a crush on Monica and gets involved in a lot of peccadilloes.
Theme:
It's amazing what humans can get used to
Plot:
The story is in first person narrative from Monica's point of view as well as Adoncias point of view, and the chapters are marked which character is talking. I have to admit that I loved Adoncia and wished I could see more of her in the story, beyond the interview snippets. I think the strong point in the story are the characters because they literally are so memorable that I hadn't forgotten them anytime soon.
Author Information:
(From book)
Maggie Gee has written 15 books to great acclaim, and her work has been translated into 14 languages. One of Granta's original 'Best of Young British Novelists' she has been shortlisted for global prizes including the Orange (now Women's) Prize, and the Dublin International IMPAC Prize. She is a Professor of Creative Writing at Bath Spa University, a Director of the Authors' Licensing and Collecting Society and a Vice President of the Royal Society of Literature.
Opinion:
It takes a very skillful author when the characters stand out with their personalities from the violence around them, and in this case, Blood by Maggie Gee is a hidden gem. I am not big on reading books that contain physical violence, especially graphic descriptions, but am happy to have made the exception for this particular book because the Ludd family is one I continue to remember long past the closing page. They have big and memorable personalities, although i am not quite sure we could have gotten along if we were to meet in real life. What I think is shocking, or will be shocking for readers is that how casually the characters approach violence! In an odd way, this is a bit like The Three Stooges, but it's a lot deeper than the show.
This was given for a review
4 out of 5
(0: Stay away unless a masochist 1: Good for insomnia 2: Horrible but readable; 3: Readable and quickly forgettable, 4: Good, enjoyable 5: Buy it, keep it and never let it go.)
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