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A review by rowena_m_andrews
Always Adam by Mark Brumby
4.0
Always Adam was a book that intrigued me from the moment that I read the blurb, and yet it is still a book that caught me by surprise in the most unexpected ways.
Brumby is a fantastic writer, but where he really shines through is in the dialogue between the characters because it is so well written that it feels as though you are there listening to the conversation as it happens. The characters are well fleshed out, and each one had a unique voice and viewpoint that brought a different element to the story, and I particularly enjoyed how Flanagan and Spencer played off one another. Spencer, I felt made for a fascinating character and getting to experience everything alongside him really brought him to life. However, it was the character of Adam – both the one that we got to experience through the beginning and middle, through information and the viewpoint of others and then the one that Spencer interacted with – who really caught my attention. There were so many twists and turns around his character, and his part in the story, and while he was unpredictable and certainly not a ‘likeable’ character in most regards, he was fascinating.
The tension and sense of danger were threaded throughout the story, escalating as we got closer and closer to the edge, and Always Adam was one of those books that you can literally breathe in the uncertainty and suspense, and whereas as soon as you think you’ve connected some of the dots, the story twists in ways that you could never predict and yet make perfect sense. Brumby has written a gripping thriller, with twists and turns, and a building sense of suspense that crescendos with an ending, that doesn’t necessarily give you all the answers, but which was perfect how it was. The ending was fraught and unexpected, and my heart was in my throat as we raced towards the finale, and I was left, heart-pounding and yet wonderfully satisfied at the same time.
Always Adam is a book that demands attention because it is clever, relevant and while there are parts that incredibly complex, it is well worth the effort to untangle because this is a story that packs a punch. It is incredibly impactful when read within the context of the current circumstances, and with the questions that it brings to the surface. A gripping book that will consume your thoughts both while you read it and afterwards, and one I would definitely recommend.
Brumby is a fantastic writer, but where he really shines through is in the dialogue between the characters because it is so well written that it feels as though you are there listening to the conversation as it happens. The characters are well fleshed out, and each one had a unique voice and viewpoint that brought a different element to the story, and I particularly enjoyed how Flanagan and Spencer played off one another. Spencer, I felt made for a fascinating character and getting to experience everything alongside him really brought him to life. However, it was the character of Adam – both the one that we got to experience through the beginning and middle, through information and the viewpoint of others and then the one that Spencer interacted with – who really caught my attention. There were so many twists and turns around his character, and his part in the story, and while he was unpredictable and certainly not a ‘likeable’ character in most regards, he was fascinating.
The tension and sense of danger were threaded throughout the story, escalating as we got closer and closer to the edge, and Always Adam was one of those books that you can literally breathe in the uncertainty and suspense, and whereas as soon as you think you’ve connected some of the dots, the story twists in ways that you could never predict and yet make perfect sense. Brumby has written a gripping thriller, with twists and turns, and a building sense of suspense that crescendos with an ending, that doesn’t necessarily give you all the answers, but which was perfect how it was. The ending was fraught and unexpected, and my heart was in my throat as we raced towards the finale, and I was left, heart-pounding and yet wonderfully satisfied at the same time.
Always Adam is a book that demands attention because it is clever, relevant and while there are parts that incredibly complex, it is well worth the effort to untangle because this is a story that packs a punch. It is incredibly impactful when read within the context of the current circumstances, and with the questions that it brings to the surface. A gripping book that will consume your thoughts both while you read it and afterwards, and one I would definitely recommend.