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Fin |
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F in byJames Delingpole Picador Books 344 pages, June 2000 ISBN 0330392689 Reviewed by Faith Leslie - South Africa The dedication in Fin reads: "For the animals." Like his first novel Fish Show, James Delingpole introduces a piscine flavour, and each section of this novel gives information about a variety of shark. A journalist hoping to write the ultimate best selling novel, Joe has a shark phobia, not shared by his live-in girlfriend Sam. Joe’s fear seems to be something he loves as well as hate. It carries right over in his imagination, even during his regular swimming sessions at the public baths, with interesting flights of fancy augmented by tales from some of the pensioners, survivors of shipwrecks during World War Two. Joe's friends (and not-friends) know about his hang-up, playing on this weakness at times. There is a fair amount of drug abuse among them which does not help matters at all. When Sam ditches Joe, he becomes interested in Martha who appears periodically, and virtually rescues him at the conclusion of the novel in South Africa. Fin is unusual and takes a while to get into. As it progresses, one becomes amused, irritated and compassionate in turns by Joe - but never bored. An entertaining and interesting read. |
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