Behind the armour (Armadillo - William Boyd)

Member Name: Meddi

Product:	Armadillo - William Boyd
Date:	18/07/01 (63 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: well written, well crafted themes

Disadvantages: hard to get into, rather slow pace

This book starts with an impact...
a man is found hanged, this event turns Lorimer Blacks life upside down. Lorimer Black is the key character in this book, he works in insurance as a loss adjuster, he collects antique helmets and is taking part in sleep disorder research. These bare facts about his life hide much deeper themes regarding the human condition. He like us all is looking for safety and security. In our modern society we have found ways to achieve the feeling of security - we have insurance to protect us from lifes misfortunes, we have armour and weapons and we have our money and our status.
Lorimer has a sleep disorder and as the novel progresses and his life is thrown into further confusion the distinction between reality and sleep starts to blur at the edges. There is a beautiful and mysterious woman that Lorimer falls for and pursues.
It is set in modern London and Boyd skillfully captures the essence of our modern landscape its sadness, violence, indifference, selfishness and beauty.
We know little about Lorimer Black and never really get that close to him but through a kind of diary that he writes we are able to bit by bit piece together the jigsaw that makes up his character.
This book has a certain black humour to it and it moves at a sedate pace. Its style takes a little getting used to but I feel it is worth it in the end.
This book made a refreshing change from the
cheap thriller style. I will be reading more William Boyd in the future.

Summary: