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21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A new genre for Boyd - and he masters it well, 31 May 2007
Although a fan of Boyd's writing, I was quite pleased to see his latest novel, Restless, was something of a departure from his usual storyline centring on a bumbling Englishman plauged with absurd misfortune, usually in some exotic setting. It's always a test of a good writer to see if they can pull off a story in a different genre to their staple area - and Boyd passes the test.
Restless is a spy thriller, with two strong and interesting central characters, fast paced, well plotted, and with a couple of good, original twists. The story is told in alternating first and third person chapters; the first person narrator being Ruth, a single mother in 1970s Britain; the third person narrative telling the story of Eva, a young woman recruited into the murky world of British spying/propaganda in Europe and America during WWII. The lives of the two overlap in modern times as Eva turns out to be Ruth's mother - now living an apparently ordinary life as an English widow - and has decided the time has come to settle some old scores.
Boyd's writing style is always a pleasure to read, and lends itself surprisingly well to this genre. His attention to detail and ability to make the mundane seem interesting, as well as bringing out the absurdities of life, are ideal for creating atmosphere and setting the scene, and it seemed somehow much more plausible than many spy stories.
The idea of combining the war era with peace times isn't entirely original, but it did work quite well here and brought home the story's central point of how spy work changed the mindset of a person forever.
I thoroughly enjoyed the book and found it very gripping - one of those it's difficult to put down. Maybe not a book that would stay with me forever, but certainly a good read whilst it lasts. I would place Boyd up there along with masters like Le Carre, and would look forward to reading anything else he writes in this genre.
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33 of 38 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Entertaining, but not his best, 29 Mar 2007
As a fan of both Boyd (An Ice Cream War & Any Human Heart, especially) and WWII spy fiction (Alan Furst being the master) I looked forward to this. And it is indeed a page turner, the 1940s part of the narrative being particularly gripping.
It's the 1970s stuff with the daughter that lets it down. Too many pointless characters and dead ends (the Iranian protesters, the German hippies, etc.). I wasn't around in the 40s, so I can't speak for its authenticity there, but some of the 70s scenes are simply anachronistic - a history prof with a computer on his desk in 1976? No way. And I can only assume that Boyd has no children, because I have NEVER heard a pre-school aged kid speak the way that "Jochen" does - he sounds like a very well-educated 40-year old!
Worth reading, but it won't go down as one of his best.
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23 of 27 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Intriguingly good: if this is not his best, I can't wait to read the rest, 29 July 2007
I inherited a copy of Restless after it changed hands three times in as many weeks. All three readers said it was great, so my expectations were high. Boyd didn't let me down. I've never read any of his stuff before (maybe a bit put off by silly titles like "An Ice Cream War") but I will certainly be checking out his back catalogue after this. Restless is intricate, intimate and intriguing. It takes us inside the mind of a spy and keeps us guessing throughout, so much so that it's hard to write a review that won't spoil the fun. (In fact, you shouldn't even read the back cover of the book until the end of the first chapter, since it reveals the surprise from which the entire narrative unfolds!)
The story drip-feeds adrenaline, with surprises and shocks bursting upon the reader in almost every chapter, and the book bounces between twin narratives to sustain the tension. As a result, by the end you are so jolted and excited that it is hard for Boyd to pull a real gobsmacking denouement out of the hat. He delivers a satisfying, but not mind-blowing, ending, which rounds the excellent book off nicely.
I understand other reviewers' gripes about the subplots, but I don't really share them. Boyd may not tie up every loose end, but that's just real life, and anybody who expects everything to be resolved may be better off with Miss Marple. I thoroughly enjoyed this. An Ice Cream War must be mind-bendingly good.
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