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A review by ekyoder
Gold by Chris Cleave
1.0
I read this because it was Newsweek's book club's summer pick. "Gold" follows three track cycling athletes as they prepare for the 2012 Olympics, flashing back to past competitions and personal conflicts. I could tell that the book was well-researched; it was interesting to get a glimpse of the dedication and single-mindedness it takes to train for a sport at this elite level. (Side recommendation: a far superior book about professional dedication and training is Tom Wolfe's The Right Stuff )
The part that lagged was the exposition of the main characters' personal lives. Cleave took a page out of the Nicholas Sparks playbook with an overwrought, schmaltzy kid-with-cancer subplot. The sickness trumped any character development, and, of course, conveniently got worse at critical plot points. The central love triangle relied on tired character tropes, as well. The characters even spoke in cliches when arguing, joking, and communicating their feelings. I'd get it if Cleave was just trying to relay that these are single-minded athletes, not especially clever, eloquent people, but overall, it just felt like lazy writing.
The part that lagged was the exposition of the main characters' personal lives. Cleave took a page out of the Nicholas Sparks playbook with an overwrought, schmaltzy kid-with-cancer subplot. The sickness trumped any character development, and, of course, conveniently got worse at critical plot points. The central love triangle relied on tired character tropes, as well. The characters even spoke in cliches when arguing, joking, and communicating their feelings. I'd get it if Cleave was just trying to relay that these are single-minded athletes, not especially clever, eloquent people, but overall, it just felt like lazy writing.