Novelist Helena Frith Powell Reviews Bloody Flies by Andrew J Keir
Bloody Flies is the first novel by a young Abu Dhabi based writer called Andrew J Keir. It doesn't feel like a first novel, the narrative and structure are too sophisticated for that, and the various chapters intertwined too cleverly.
It is not a jolly read, Keir is clearly in touch with his dark side. Life in Abu Dhabi is portrayed as so morally degenerative that society affects the protagonists either literally (such as the child camel riders) or metaphorically as is the case with pretty much everyone else in the novel. Our hero, Leo, is affected to the extent that he sells his soul for a job no one can really condone. His wife, in part driven by grief and in part a desire to get back at him, has an affair. Basically the place brings out the worst in everyone touched by it.
This is not only a hugely interesting take on life here, but a brave one, considering Keir still lives in the city and criticism is not welcome.
Bloody Flies is a really good read. It keeps you hooked, you long to know what is going to happen to the characters.
In such a short book it is hard to get to know them really well, but Keir engenders enough sympathy to make you care. There are times when Keir uses a long and complicated word when a simpler one will do, but other than that I had no complaints. It is not the kind of book I would normally read, but I'm glad I did.
Helena Helena Frith Powell
It is not a jolly read, Keir is clearly in touch with his dark side. Life in Abu Dhabi is portrayed as so morally degenerative that society affects the protagonists either literally (such as the child camel riders) or metaphorically as is the case with pretty much everyone else in the novel. Our hero, Leo, is affected to the extent that he sells his soul for a job no one can really condone. His wife, in part driven by grief and in part a desire to get back at him, has an affair. Basically the place brings out the worst in everyone touched by it.
This is not only a hugely interesting take on life here, but a brave one, considering Keir still lives in the city and criticism is not welcome.
Bloody Flies is a really good read. It keeps you hooked, you long to know what is going to happen to the characters.
In such a short book it is hard to get to know them really well, but Keir engenders enough sympathy to make you care. There are times when Keir uses a long and complicated word when a simpler one will do, but other than that I had no complaints. It is not the kind of book I would normally read, but I'm glad I did.
Helena Helena Frith Powell