The Diary of Fiona J McNally

Book Review - Overtaken by Alexei Sayle

I must admit I have never been a fan of this comedian and I was doubtful whether or not the book would be worth reading. I was p;leasantly surprised. Although the story gets off to a slow start - almost like Mr Sayle is still trying to find his narrator's feet - the early twist that occurs, kept me interested enough stay on course.

The protagonist - Kelvin - is a 30-something Liverpudlian property developer who lives a vacuous existence, spending copious amounts of money on dining out, the theatre and other events. His five best friends accompany him on these hedonistic jaunts but it's not until the chums visit the local circus - or CirKuss as it is known - that Kelvin's life is changed forever.

The story then delves into aspects of Kelvin's grief, his mission to bring about revenge and the lengths he will go to in order to deal with the intense pain he is feeling. Perhaps more a satire about loss than revenge, Sayle's Kelvin is a full enough character to make the reader interested enough in his fate to keep reading.

No doubt Alexei Sayle is somewhat of a bent individual - the scenes depicted in the book and some of the language is proof enough - but his insight into the human spirit was nevertheless a rewarding experience. One will never think of "pies" in the same way again.

posted by Fiona McNally @ 10/24/2004 08:24:00 am