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A review by apalershadeofwhite
My Policeman by Bethan Roberts
5.0
This book is insane, in the best possible way. I fell in love with this book from the first sentence, to the first chapter, to the last word. This is definitely my kind of perfect book.
Roberts has an unimaginable amount of talent. Not only are the characters real and relatable, but the way they paint locale and describe things is one of the best I've seen in a long time. This is a true work of art. Every sentence is rife and intriguing! I found myself wanting to highlight almost everything, and despite holding myself back I used an exorbitant amount of sticky notes when reading this. I didn't want to forget any part of this book that made me feel something or raised my eyebrows in awe because I will undoubtedly be returning to these pages. The second segment, in particular, gripped me. Patrick's writing was so beautiful; real and poetic at the same time. Although I sped through the first segment - Marion's writing - there was just something about the second part that had me fighting to bookmark and tag every other sentence.
I did have two worries when reading this novel, though:
1. The slight lack of pronouns, for example "approached the bar". I've had an issue with this in a previous book, but I was glad to see that the use here didn't take me out of the flow of reading or affect how I view the novel as a whole.
2. The repetition of "my policeman". Despite being a SUCKER for repetition, especially tripling, for effect in literature, this phrase was used ALL. THE. TIME. Thankfully, it didn't bother me as I thought it would, as I worried I would get sick of it after a while; I just view it as Patrick's endearment towards Tom.
A repetition I loved, however, was "my trochaic heart". That phrase is definitely a contender for the most beautiful thing I've ever read. Roberts could have really played that phrase up in a way that was too much, but the references were well-placed and well-paced. I almost would have liked to have seen less "my policeman" and more "my trochaic heart" quotes to even the repetition out, but I understand the predominance of the book's namesake over a small poetic phrase I personally fell in love with haha.
As the book went on, I really felt the maturing or emotional hardening of the characters, specifically in Marion. she used an increased amount of sophisticated grammar that the other characters didn't; e.g. colons and semi-colons. The fourth segment, set in the prison, was so heart-wrenching. It was short but so impactful! And it found it really endearing that Patrick's personality wasn't altered by the experience; he stayed completely himself. The ending though? The definition of bittersweet. I literally sat for 30 seconds after finishing the book and just stared into space. I did find myself a little angry and EXTREMELY confused with Tom's reaction to Patrick's condition, but the last 15 pages set everything into place for me. I respect Marion's reaction and decision at the end, as well. I do wonder if she's permanently or temporarily leaving, however. Despite this, it was a long time coming, I think. I do wonder if it would have happened sooner if Patrick hadn't had needed help.
Roberts has an unimaginable amount of talent. Not only are the characters real and relatable, but the way they paint locale and describe things is one of the best I've seen in a long time. This is a true work of art. Every sentence is rife and intriguing! I found myself wanting to highlight almost everything, and despite holding myself back I used an exorbitant amount of sticky notes when reading this. I didn't want to forget any part of this book that made me feel something or raised my eyebrows in awe because I will undoubtedly be returning to these pages. The second segment, in particular, gripped me. Patrick's writing was so beautiful; real and poetic at the same time. Although I sped through the first segment - Marion's writing - there was just something about the second part that had me fighting to bookmark and tag every other sentence.
I did have two worries when reading this novel, though:
1. The slight lack of pronouns, for example "approached the bar". I've had an issue with this in a previous book, but I was glad to see that the use here didn't take me out of the flow of reading or affect how I view the novel as a whole.
2. The repetition of "my policeman". Despite being a SUCKER for repetition, especially tripling, for effect in literature, this phrase was used ALL. THE. TIME. Thankfully, it didn't bother me as I thought it would, as I worried I would get sick of it after a while; I just view it as Patrick's endearment towards Tom.
A repetition I loved, however, was "my trochaic heart". That phrase is definitely a contender for the most beautiful thing I've ever read. Roberts could have really played that phrase up in a way that was too much, but the references were well-placed and well-paced. I almost would have liked to have seen less "my policeman" and more "my trochaic heart" quotes to even the repetition out, but I understand the predominance of the book's namesake over a small poetic phrase I personally fell in love with haha.
As the book went on, I really felt the maturing or emotional hardening of the characters, specifically in Marion. she used an increased amount of sophisticated grammar that the other characters didn't; e.g. colons and semi-colons. The fourth segment, set in the prison, was so heart-wrenching. It was short but so impactful! And it found it really endearing that Patrick's personality wasn't altered by the experience; he stayed completely himself. The ending though? The definition of bittersweet. I literally sat for 30 seconds after finishing the book and just stared into space. I did find myself a little angry and EXTREMELY confused with Tom's reaction to Patrick's condition, but the last 15 pages set everything into place for me. I respect Marion's reaction and decision at the end, as well. I do wonder if she's permanently or temporarily leaving, however. Despite this, it was a long time coming, I think. I do wonder if it would have happened sooner if Patrick hadn't had needed help.