Take a photo of a barcode or cover
ssindc 's review for:
Some Kind of Fairy Tale
by Graham Joyce
This is a fun one, a very pleasant surprise. I've only read one Joyce book previously - it wasn't perfect, but I found it unique, subtle, creative, almost artful - and I get the sense he's not heavily read in the U.S., although that appears to be changing. Anyway, yes, it's a fairy tale, but it's very nicely layered and the payoffs come in waves towards the end. (Mentally, I had this categorized as good-to-very-good through most of the book, but it kept growing on me, and I was immensely gratified by at least three of the final plot twists.) And, putting aside the fairy tale, this is an entertaining examination of family, aging, relationships, music, and even psychology. Joyce covers a fair amount of ground in this one and, at least to this reader, the various perspectives felt accurate and the voices rang true throughout. Finally, in retrospect, the opening gambit was not only subtle, but deceptively effective. Overall, a fun, thought-provoking, and pleasant read.