I picked up a copy of the new Belinda Mc Keon novel, Tender when I was down at the Festival of Writing and Ideas at Borris House last weekend. I started reading it on a Sunday and a week later, I have finished it.
I savaged this book, read it every minute I could, which is usually at bedtime when Emrys has gone to bed. On the back of the book, Nick Laird said he read the book in a day and I wondered if he had children!
It is a fabulously simple book of friendship, relationships, sexuality and city living. It is set in the 90s, the same time I went to UCD and could relate to all of the novel’s antics. I won’t give away anything except to say the “turn” of the book, when it happens is what shapes and saves the book from falling into a comfortable and safe read. It was safe and cosey for the first few hundred pages but then it jumps in a place that I did not see coming. The style of writing changes to suit this character dip. Lots of short and snappy sentences show the main character’s thoughts.
I am going to recommend it, Belinda Mc Keon is a cool chick who writes as crisp as anything. perfect for a summer read or a anytime read.