Take a photo of a barcode or cover
A review by kiwikathleen
Gold by Chris Cleave
4.0
There have been times when I've watched the Olympics, or the Commonwealth Games, but I didn't even turn the TV on for the Opening Ceremony last time. And as far as participating in sports goes, I can't think of anything I'd less rather do. So reading a book that revolves round the Olympics, and cycling in a velodrome, was not something I expected I would do. However, it was the last item on an elderly Challenge so I had to do it.
Well, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I even got some vicarious excitement (and suffered sympathetic pain) from the bits about the cycling. But it was the people and what the sport did to them, and for them, that I really liked. Kate and Jack are both top athletes, but their daughter Sophie is battling cancer. Zoe is Kate's competition, and her close friend - though it is an often complicated friendship. Tom is Kate and Zoe's coach, and only one of them can get the Gold medal.
The characters are interesting, there's plenty of pathos, and if the ending is a little tidy we can let the author off because there's plenty along the way to keep the reader engaged.
Well, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I even got some vicarious excitement (and suffered sympathetic pain) from the bits about the cycling. But it was the people and what the sport did to them, and for them, that I really liked. Kate and Jack are both top athletes, but their daughter Sophie is battling cancer. Zoe is Kate's competition, and her close friend - though it is an often complicated friendship. Tom is Kate and Zoe's coach, and only one of them can get the Gold medal.
The characters are interesting, there's plenty of pathos, and if the ending is a little tidy we can let the author off because there's plenty along the way to keep the reader engaged.