The International Writers Magazine: Book Review

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The Wayward Wind by Ashleigh Bingham Publisher: Robert Hale Ltd (1 Nov 2007) ISBN-10: 0709084080 ISBN-13: 978-0709084082 • Lisa Timmermann review Synopsis: When popular man-about-town, Tom Sinclair, learns that his sister has run away, he sails from London, confident of finding her. The trail leads him to Morocco where his worst fears for her safety are suddenly confirmed and he becomes stranded in a country where he understands neither the language nor the culture. Francesca, a sharp-tongued Spanish governess, has spent much of her life in North Africa, and when she learns of Tom's need for a translator, she snatches the opportunity to join the search for his missing sister - while hiding her own grim agenda in the enterprise.

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At its best, Ashleigh Bingham’s The Wayward Wind can be described as an atmospheric and suspenseful adventure novel, which creates a convincing picture of the time and place it is set. At its worst, the adventure plot gives way to a soppy love story that is impossible to read without feeling at least slightly embarrassed. Unfortunately, the worst overpowers the best, particularly due to the book’s unfortunate writing style.

Initially marked by a fast pace and light-hearted tone, the book shows a refreshing concision in terms of place descriptions and background information. The stilted dialogues take some time to get used to, but are largely believable in the context of the historical setting. The author succeeds in creating an authentic feel, particularly through the progression of the story and the growing insight into the protagonists’ personal history. However, it seems as though we learn too much about these characters too quickly, and very soon, there are no more secrets to discover. Also, though the author clearly made an effort at establishing the protagonists as round and sympathetic characters, they often appear contrived and, especially in the case of male protagonist Thomas, unrealistically flawless.

The novel deals with the disappearance of an English woman in North Africa in 1867 and her brother’s quest to find her. Following her trail, he travels through Morocco, Algeria and Egypt, with a Spanish governess acting as his translator. During their trip, the two have to face different challenges, the hardest one being their stay in a town that has been hit by the plague. At this point, the novel turns into a cheesy and over-the top drama that, instead of engaging the reader, finally loses its appeal completely. The increasing conventionality of the plot causes the reader to – rightly – expect no more surprises. Altogether, this novel offers solid entertainment for the helplessly romantic reader, but essentially lacks in subtlety, depth, and originality.

© Lisa Timmermann December 8th 2007
lisa.timmermann at gmail.com

Lisa is studying for her Masters in Creative Writing at the University of Portsmouth

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