Set in the near future Open Arms is ostensibly about the meteoric rise of a middle class, Middle England woman in an unhappy marriage through the political machine.
The early part of the book jumps between India and a cast of dubious business men, slum dwellers and vaguely corrupt policemen and the privileged English woman. This jump is quite jarring in some places and you feel that something important was just about to be uttered and then you are off somewhere else.
I was pretty sure that I would not enjoy this novel in any way. I do not like the author's politics and already he has made it quite clear where he stands on issues such as Brexit even though we are only some 36 pages in to the action on this extract. Vince Cable is known first and foremost as an MP and has taken the old adage of write what you know about to heart. This does give a sense of authenticity to the rumblings in the local party office when a new candidate needs to be found but the Indian sections smack a little of stereotyping.
Overall I am not certain where I stand on this book from the brief extract I have read. Accordingly I am going to score this as 3 Stars but this could change wildly with additional reading.
The early part of the book jumps between India and a cast of dubious business men, slum dwellers and vaguely corrupt policemen and the privileged English woman. This jump is quite jarring in some places and you feel that something important was just about to be uttered and then you are off somewhere else.
I was pretty sure that I would not enjoy this novel in any way. I do not like the author's politics and already he has made it quite clear where he stands on issues such as Brexit even though we are only some 36 pages in to the action on this extract. Vince Cable is known first and foremost as an MP and has taken the old adage of write what you know about to heart. This does give a sense of authenticity to the rumblings in the local party office when a new candidate needs to be found but the Indian sections smack a little of stereotyping.
Overall I am not certain where I stand on this book from the brief extract I have read. Accordingly I am going to score this as 3 Stars but this could change wildly with additional reading.