A decent read (Armadillo - William Boyd)

Member Name: mcrouch

Product:	Armadillo - William Boyd
Date:	13/06/01 (44 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Easy to read, well-crafted plot

Disadvantages: Characters a bit dull

It took me a while to get into this book but I am glad I stuck with it as I was eventually rewarded with a satisfying and enjoyable read.

“Armadillo” is a tale of yuppie businessmen, pretentious wine bars and London café society, posh nobs, death, corruption and a dash of black farce. It was not what I would call a compelling read but I was intrigued by it enough, enough to carry on reading at any rate.

It begins with Lorrimer Black discovering a business client hanging from the end of a noose. Not a jolly start to a novel but then it’s no really a jolly novel. It peters along at a trot rather than breakneck speed. Lorrimer is a well-to-do young business professional who seems troubled by life even though he has a moderately happy family background and a good career. He falls for a beautiful but mysterious girl who he sees across a swanky London bar and before long becomes involved. Unfortunately for him, other troubles start to catch him up as a result of the hanging. Soon he has become embroiled in a web of deceit and corruption at the heart of his business world that very soon becomes life-threatening.

Unfortunately none of the characters really gelled for me. Even Lorrimer only comes across as likeable at best. That aside, the novel is well-paced and plotted with enough twists and turns to keep most readers happy. Judging by the blurbs on the back cover, there are many more distinguished readers who would disagree with me (as well as a previous dooyoo reviewer). Ultimately then for me it was an enjoyable rather than a sensational read.

For a taster of William Boyd’s writing style, you could try “On the Yankee Station”, a diverse collection of his readily-accessible short stories.

Summary: